A crash between a school bus and a mail truck in Kansas City raises some important questions about workers’ compensation law in Missouri.
School Bus and Mail Truck Collide in Missouri
The crash happened around 5pm on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.
According to police, the mail truck and a school bus hit each other at the intersection of Delmar Lane and 103rd Street, just over the border in Kansas.
Two of the children on the bus were reported to have minor injuries. There is no word on injuries to the drivers of either vehicle. Considering the size of the school bus compared to the mail truck, the postal worker is at the highest risk of suffering an injury.
Workers’ Compensation Questions After Crash
Workers’ compensation, if it is available to a worker, is meant to cover the costs of their injuries if they happened “on the job.”
In this case, it would appear at first blush that both drivers – the school bus driver and the postal worker – were on the job at the time of the crash. This would mean they could recover workers’ compensation for any injuries they suffered in the collision.
However, being “on the job” can be more nuanced. In this case, there are two questions that need to be answered:
- Whether both workers were supposed to be on the job at 5pm when the accident happened
- Whether both workers were actively doing work or were conducting personal business on the job
These questions are especially important for the postal worker. It seems evident that the school bus driver would be considered “on the job” because there were children on the bus at the time of the crash.
Working After Hours
Some jobs require workers to be on the clock for specified periods of time, like from 9am to 5pm. Some workers, however, are not done until after their shift ends. If they stay on the job past the end of their shift to complete their work, and then get hurt, it raises a question of whether workers’ compensation will cover their injuries.
Many employers will refuse to fight such a claim in the idea that paying it would promote hard work. Stingy employers, though, fight everything to save a few dollars.
Running Personal Errands While On the Clock
Simply looking at the clock does not answer all workers’ compensation questions. Some workers can be doing personal errands while on the job. If they get hurt while running those errands, employers can use that as an excuse to fight a workers’ compensation payout.
St. Joseph Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Smith Law Office
In many cases, it may seem like splitting hairs. However, even the smallest details – like the precise contents of a hurt workers’ suitcase – can matter in a workers’ compensation claim.
The personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyers at the Smith Law Office know this, and strive to represent injured workers from all walks of life. Contact them online or call them at (816) 875-9373 to get started on your case.