Truck drivers and delivery drivers like you keep Ohio moving, and a serious injury on the job shouldn’t mean financial ruin for you and your loved ones. Workers’ compensation exists to prevent that from happening, but it’s not always easy to access the resources and support you need. If your employer has denied your work injury claim, disputed your employee status, or pressured you to return to work before you were ready, you have options. An experienced workers’ comp attorney can help you act on them.
Since 1980, Philip J. Fulton Law Office has focused on fighting for injured workers in Columbus and across Ohio. We know how the system works and how to get results for those we represent — after all, our founding attorney literally wrote the book on the subject. If you need help with your claim, our Columbus work injury lawyers are ready to review your situation and put together the strongest possible case for the benefits you are owed. Contact us today for a free initial consultation. We charge no fees unless we recover benefits for you.
The road can be an unforgiving workplace. Long-haul truckers, regional carrier drivers, and last-mile delivery drivers for companies like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon all face a distinct set of physical hazards that most workers never encounter.
A highway accident is an ever-present risk and can cause catastrophic injuries in an instant. Away from the road, activities like loading and unloading cargo can put enormous strain on the back, shoulders, and knees. Repetitive motion stress from hours behind the wheel can compound that damage over time. Slip-and-fall accidents from truck cabs and loading docks are also common, and delivery drivers who make frequent stops face the added risk of being struck by other vehicles.
For professional drivers, serious work injuries can mean weeks or even months off the road, mounting medical bills, and real uncertainty about the future.
Many trucking and delivery companies classify their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, and workers’ comp eligibility is a big reason they do so. Only employees are eligible for workers’ comp benefits, and employers do not have to purchase insurance for contractors. However, Ohio law isn’t that simple.
For motor carrier drivers, Ohio law sets out a specific seven-factor test to determine whether a driver truly qualifies as an independent contractor, including whether they own their own vehicle, are responsible for supplying their own materials, and can set their own schedule. A carrier must satisfy all seven factors for that classification to hold up. If even one factor doesn’t apply, Ohio law says you count as an employee, which means you may have workers’ comp rights whether or not your employer discloses them. Even if you’re not sure whether you qualify, talk to us.
A serious injury on the road or at a loading dock can affect your body, your income, and your future. Ohio’s workers’ compensation system exists to address all of those effects by providing several distinct types of benefits that go beyond basic medical coverage. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits that may be available for your workers’ compensation case:
Ohio’s workers’ comp system is designed to protect injured workers, but that doesn’t mean the process is simple. Trucking companies, carriers, and their insurers routinely look for ways to limit or deny valid claims. These are some of the most common obstacles our clients encounter.
Carriers and their insurers sometimes argue that an injury didn’t occur during the course of your employment to avoid having to pay you. For example, they might claim that the incident happened during a personal stop or off-duty hours.
Some employers discourage injured workers from filing claims, whether through subtle pressure or direct interference, because they don’t want their insurance premiums to go up. This tactic is illegal, but it works often enough that many drivers never pursue the benefits they’re owed.
Even if your claim is approved, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) or your employer’s insurer might refuse to authorize certain treatments your doctor recommends. Injured drivers sometimes find themselves stuck in pain while their care gets tangled in administrative disputes.
Some trucking companies label their drivers as independent contractors specifically to avoid having to purchase workers’ comp insurance. However, Ohio law has strict rules involving employee classification, and a lawyer can help you prove your eligibility for benefits based on the facts.
When your livelihood depends on your ability to work, a denied or underpaid workers’ comp claim can quickly go from a legal problem to a legitimate financial crisis. If you’re dealing with this kind of situation, you need support from an attorney who lives and breathes Ohio’s workers’ comp law. That’s exactly what the lawyers at Philip J. Fulton Law Office offer.
Founding attorney Philip J. Fulton, who has been in practice since 1980, literally wrote the book on Ohio workers’ compensation law. His treatise, Ohio Workers’ Compensation Law, is the reference that the BWC, the courts, and other lawyers across the state turn to when they need answers. This means that when our attorneys prepare a claim or file an appeal on your behalf, we do so with a depth of knowledge that few lawyers in Ohio can match. That kind of authority translates directly into real results.
Our entire law firm exclusively represents injured workers in Columbus and throughout Ohio, never employers or insurance companies. Our team includes lawyers with insider experience from working with the BWC, certified specialists in workers’ compensation law, and attorneys who have taken cases all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court. Our lawyers use the full scope of our law firm’s resources, knowledge, and experience to fight hard for the benefits our clients are due.
If you were hurt on the job as a trucker or delivery driver in Ohio, don’t wait to get legal advice. The attorneys at Philip J. Fulton Law Office have represented injured Ohio workers for over 40 years, and we’re ready to put our experience to work for you. Contact our Columbus office today to arrange a free initial consultation.
