Does an Employees Failure to Wear a Seat Belt Bar Alabama Workers Compensation Benefits?

Does an Employees Failure to Wear a Seat Belt Bar Alabama Workers Compensation Benefits?

After a serious automobile accident, many injured workers worry that failing to wear a seat belt automatically prevents them from receiving workers’ compensation benefits, but does it?

The short answer is no. Although Alabama law requires most vehicle occupants to wear seat belts, there is no Alabama appellate decision holding that an employee automatically loses workers’ compensation benefits simply because he or she was not wearing one.

Like many legal issues, the answer depends on the facts of each case.

Relevant Alabama Law: Ala. Code § 25-5-51 discusses circumstances under which workers’ compensation benefits may be denied because of an employee’s conduct.

Learn More: What Is Willful Misconduct Under Alabama Workers’ Compensation Law?

Alabama Law Separates “Willful Misconduct” from Failure to Use Employer-Provided Safety Equipment

One important part of Alabama’s Workers’ Compensation Act is often overlooked.  Section 25-5-51 does not simply refer to “willful misconduct.” Instead, it separately discusses an employee’s:

• willful misconduct, and
• willful failure or refusal to use safety appliances provided by the employer.

That distinction may become important in automobile accident cases involving personally owned vehicles because the employer generally did not provide either the vehicle or its seat belt system.

Whether that distinction ultimately controls depends on the specific facts of the case and the application of Alabama law.

Does Not Wearing a Seat Belt Automatically Defeat a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

No Alabama appellate court has specifically answered that question with a simple yes or no.

In Meeks v. Thompson Tractor Co., 686 So. 2d 1213 (Ala. Civ. App. 1996), the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals considered a case involving an employee who was not wearing a seat belt while operating a company vehicle.

The court did not hold that failing to wear a seat belt automatically barred workers’ compensation benefits.  Instead, the court explained that before benefits may be denied for willful misconduct, the employer must prove that the employee’s injuries were caused by the alleged misconduct.

That is an important distinction.  Did the failure to wear a seat belt cause the injuries, or the fact that another car rammed into the car the worker was in?

Why Causation Matters

Suppose another driver runs a red light and crashes into your vehicle.  The collision was caused by the other driver.  The employer may still argue that your injuries were worse because you were not wearing a seat belt, but those are two different questions.

The employer bears the burden of proving not only that there was alleged misconduct, but also that the misconduct caused the injury for which benefits are sought.

Every accident is different, and medical evidence often becomes critical.

Learn More: How Does Alabama Define “Proximate Cause” in a Workers’ Compensation Case?

What About an Alabama Personal Injury Claim?

If another driver’s negligence caused your accident, you may also have a personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.  Many people are surprised to learn that Alabama’s Seat Belt Act contains its own evidentiary rule.

Under Ala. Code § 32-5B-7, evidence that someone failed to wear a seat belt generally may not be admitted to establish contributory negligence or reduce damages in a civil action.

That statute applies in the personal injury context—not workers’ compensation—but it demonstrates that Alabama law treats seat belt issues differently depending upon the type of case involved.

Recommended Reading: Ala. Code § 32-5B-7.

Can I Pursue Both Claims?

Yes.

After a work-related automobile accident, you may have:

• a workers’ compensation claim against your employer’s workers’ compensation carrier; and
• a personal injury claim against the negligent driver who caused the collision.

These claims involve different legal standards, different recoverable damages, and different deadlines.  An experienced attorney should evaluate both claims to determine every available source of recovery.

Learn More: Can I Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits and File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After the Same Accident?  I Was Hit by Another Driver While Working—Do I Have a Workers’ Compensation Claim and a Car Accident Claim?

 

Talk With an Alabama Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Attorney

If you were injured in a work-related automobile accident anywhere in Alabama, do not assume that failing to wear a seat belt automatically prevents you from recovering benefits.

The law is more nuanced than many people realize, and every case deserves an individualized legal analysis.

An experienced Alabama attorney can evaluate both your workers’ compensation claim and any personal injury claim arising from the same accident, explain your legal options, and help protect your rights.

At Powell and Denny, we have spent decades helping injured workers prove the connection between their workplace accidents and any other personal injury claim they may have related to their job injury.

If you have suffered a job injury and you have questions about your rights and benefits under Alabama’s workers compensation or personal injury (negligence, wantoness, general tort) laws -don’t hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced attorneys at Powell and Denny today for a free consultation. Appointments are available in person, or virtually via Zoom if more convenient.  Powell and Denny would appreciate the opportunity to help.  And remember, there is no fee unless you win.