“I tripped and fell on my way into work and injured myself. Can I make a worker’s compensation claim?”
The answer to this question is maybe. Compensation covers injured workers hurt during working hours while at a work location.
If your accident occurred near your home or during your commute to work, the answer is no because compensation does not cover a worker the moment he or she leaves their home for work. Compensation only covers accidents involving “ingress and egress” to and from work. So if you drive to work and trip and fall walking from the company parking lot walking into work, then yes, you are covered by compensation. But if you park in public parking and walk into work, then you are only covered if you are right next to the front door.
Similarly, if you are taking public transportation, then you are covered by compensation only if the accident occurrs adjacent to the door to your employer’s place of work. Generally, that means just a few feet from the front door. It does not mean a block away from the employer’s premises.
