An Accident at Work Leaves You With an Injury. Who Pays the Bills?

You have an accident at work. Does workman's comp cover you? Injuries at work are common and medical treatment is expensive. For work campers, who covers the bill if you get hurt?



If you are working as an employee, chances are your employer is paying for worker's compensation insurance. The most basic purpose of worker's comp is to pay for employee's medical expenses when they receive an injury at work.

But, are you an employee?

It could be that you are a volunteer or an independent contractor.

Some non-profit organizations have liability insurance that covers volunteers against injuries. Others don't.

The coverages aren't necessarily standard. You might be covered while on the organizations premises. But, if you are running an errand in town, you might not be covered. And, what about car accidents? If you are driving the organization's vehicle, you may be covered. However, if you are driving your personal vehicle, it could be a very different story.

If you are truly an independent contractor, then you aren't an employee. Protections put into place for employees don't apply. If you have an accident at work, you may find yourself completely responsible for any related medical bills.

What about work-in-exchange-for-a-site deals at private campgrounds? Is the campground owner treating you as a full-fledged employee? If not, you could be in for a nasty surprise if you have a work accident.

Accidents at work are a reality of life, whether while RVing or otherwise. I don't mean to scare you. Just be aware that there are different worker situations and that with some you will have medical benefits if you get hurt on the job and at others you won't.



Go from an Accident at Work to the Work For RVers And Campers home page.