Driving from one job site to the next is part of the workday for many Virginians, from construction crews to home health aides to sales technicians. If a collision happens between sites, the first question is simple: does workers’ comp cover travel between jobs in Virginia?
The answer depends on where you were going, why you were on the road, and whether any personal detour broke the connection to your job. This guide explains Virginia’s “coming and going” rule in plain language, walks through the main exceptions that often apply to between‑site travel, and shows how workers’ compensation interacts with auto insurance coverage.
You will see which workers compensation benefits may be available, which documents matter most, and the deadlines that can decide your case.
Does Workers’ Comp Cover Travel Between Jobs in Virginia?
The short answer is yes. A work related car accident is often covered when you are traveling between job sites to perform your job duties. Virginia’s “coming and going” rule usually excludes an employee’s commute, but it does not bar travel that is part of your job, paid by the employer, performed in a company car, or done on a special errand for the employer. Coverage turns on your specific facts and prompt reporting.
When travel is usually covered vs. not covered
Use this chart to quickly see how common scenarios are treated in Virginia.
| Situation | Likely covered? | Why it matters | Notes |
| Driving between job sites during the workday | Often yes | Travel furthers the employer’s business | Keep route and dispatch proof |
| Traveling employee on multi‑site route | Often yes | Continuous coverage during business travel, except substantial deviations | Document itinerary |
| Special errand or mission at employer’s request | Often yes | Specific task outside routine can be covered | Save texts and emails |
| Paid travel time or mileage reimbursement | Often yes | Employer is compensating the travel | Keep pay stubs and policies |
| Employer‑provided vehicle or shuttle | Often yes | Employer controls transport | Note vehicle assignment |
| Employer premises or controlled parking area | Often yes | Premises exception can apply | Identify who controls the lot |
| Brief personal comfort stop, gas or restroom | Usually still covered | Minor deviations do not break coverage | Keep receipts and timestamps |
| Significant personal detour, errands, shopping | Usually no during detour | Substantial deviation breaks coverage | Coverage can resume after reentry |
| Pure commute from home to first site | Usually no | Ordinary commute is excluded | Exceptions may still apply |
| After‑hours social event | Usually no | Not in course of employment | Written invitation may matter |
| Intoxication or horseplay | No | Independent bar to benefits | Employer tests and policies control |
Virginia’s “coming and going” rule, explained
Virginia workers’ compensation covers injuries that arise out of, and in the course of, employment. The “coming and going” rule generally excludes injuries that occur during an ordinary commute. That baseline changes when the travel itself is part of your job or when the employer benefited directly from the trip. Between‑site travel is often within the workday, so the key questions are whether you were furthering business purposes, whether the route was reasonable, and whether any personal detour was minor or substantial.
Key exceptions that unlock coverage
Several well‑recognized exceptions often apply to workers who drive between locations:
- Traveling employee: If your job requires you to be on the road or at multiple sites, coverage can be continuous during the business trip, except during substantial personal deviations.
- Special errand or special mission: You were sent on a specific task outside the normal routine, which can extend coverage even before clock‑in or after clock‑out.
- Paid travel time or employer‑provided transportation: The employer pays for travel time, pays mileage, or requires use of a company car, which can place travel within the course of employment.
- Employer premises or parking areas: Injuries on areas controlled by the employer used for ingress or egress can be covered, even if they occur before or after a shift.
- Street‑risk exposure: If your job puts you on the road and you are injured by risks inherent in street travel, that connection supports coverage.
How this applies to driving between job sites
When you drive from Job Site A to Job Site B during the workday, you are usually furthering the employer’s business. Facts that strengthen coverage include being dispatched by a supervisor, using a company vehicle, claiming paid travel time or mileage, or carrying materials for the next job. Minor personal comfort breaks, like stopping for gas or a restroom, typically do not break coverage. A substantial detour for running personal errands usually does, and coverage can resume once you reenter the business route.
Driving a personal vehicle for work vs. a company car
Driving a personal vehicle does not automatically exclude coverage. What matters is whether you were performing job duties and whether the employer benefited from the trip. Many employees complete routes in a personal vehicle for work, visit a business meeting between sites, or transport tools to job sites. If the accident occurred while you were performing job related duties, your workers compensation claim may still be valid. Keep proof of mileage reimbursement, dispatch texts, and schedules.
By contrast, driving a company car or employer shuttle often strengthens coverage because the employer controls the transportation. That said, a significant personal detour can still interrupt coverage until you return to the work route.
What benefits are available after a work related car accident
If your between‑site crash is covered, Virginia workers compensation benefits may include medical care and income protection. The exact benefits depend on your injuries, work restrictions, and medical documentation.
- Medical benefits: Treatment from an authorized treating physician, diagnostic imaging, therapy, and necessary surgery. Covered medical expenses often include prescriptions and medical equipment.
- Wage replacement and disability benefits: Temporary total disability when you cannot work at all, and temporary partial disability when you return with restrictions and earn less. These benefits are designed to replace a portion of lost wages while you recover.
- Mileage reimbursement: Payment for reasonable travel to medical appointments and pharmacy visits.
- Permanent partial disability: If you reach Maximum Medical Improvement and have a rateable loss, you may qualify for scheduled benefits.
- Death benefits: In tragic cases of fatal motor vehicle accidents at work, eligible dependents may seek death benefits and funeral costs through workers’ compensation.
To receive workers compensation benefits, documentation from your authorized treating physician is vital. For deeper context, see our guides on choosing a Panel of Physicians, the role of your treating physician, understanding Maximum Medical Improvement, Functional Capacity Evaluations, and how PPD benefits are paid in Virginia.
Workers’ comp, car accident claims, and insurance coverage
Many between‑site collisions involve a negligent third‑party driver. In that situation, you may pursue both a workers compensation claim and a car accident claim. Workers’ comp can pay medical bills and wage loss without proving fault, while a third party claim seeks damages the comp system does not cover, such as pain and suffering.
Because multiple policies can apply, the claims process often involves careful coordination:
- Identify all policies that might apply, including the at‑fault driver’s liability insurance, your own insurance or personal insurance policy for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and any employer’s insurance if you were in a company vehicle.
- Notify the correct insurance company or insurance provider for each policy. Keep claim numbers organized.
- Track every workers’ compensation payment for medical care and wage replacement to support lien accounting. The employer’s carrier may have a right of reimbursement from any personal injury claims recovery.
- Coordinate recorded statements and independent medical exams across carriers so your history is consistent.
- Remember that workers’ comp does not pay for property damage or vehicle repairs. Those are typically handled through auto insurance coverage.
Common insurer defenses and how to counter them
Insurers sometimes argue that you were simply commuting, that you deviated for personal reasons, or that the crash did not cause the injuries sustained. They may also claim you can return to full duty. Focused evidence helps answer each point.
- Route proof: Dispatch records, GPS pings, telematics, timecards, delivery schedules, and work orders show why you were on the road and where you were headed.
- Work purpose: Supervisor texts and emails, paid travel time entries, mileage reimbursement forms, and employer policies connect the trip to business needs.
- No substantial deviation: Receipts and timestamps can show that gas or restroom stops were brief personal comfort breaks, not major detours.
- Causation: Early medical attention, consistent symptom reporting, and timely referrals to specialists support the link between the crash and your diagnosed conditions.
Step‑by‑step: what to do after a car accident between job sites
Fast action protects your health and your claim. Use this list to stay organized after an accident while driving between job sites.
- Call 911, seek medical attention, and tell the officer you were on a work trip between job sites.
- Notify your supervisor immediately and follow up in writing. Keep a copy of your report.
- Ask for the Panel of Physicians, select a doctor carefully, and follow the treatment plan.
- Gather evidence at the scene: photos, witness names, police report number, vehicle information, and the route you were taking. This helps with determining liability in both comp and auto claims.
- Save receipts and mileage for all medical visits and pharmacy trips.
- Avoid recorded statements until you have gathered key facts. Keep answers factual and concise.
- Share work restrictions with HR promptly. Ask in writing about light duty options that match your doctor’s orders.
- Calendar your deadlines to file with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. Missing deadlines can forfeit benefits.
Deadlines and forms you cannot miss
Two deadlines control most Virginia cases. You must give timely notice to your employer, and you must file a claim with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. Keep copies of every form and award order.
- Notice to employer: Provide notice as soon as possible, in writing, and no later than 30 days from the accident.
- Filing with the Commission: File your workers compensation claim within two years of the work accident. The safest practice is to file early and confirm receipt.
Dual‑purpose trips and deviations: examples that decide coverage
Examples show how small details change outcomes in vehicle accidents involving work travel.
- Gas, coffee, or restroom on the way from Site A to Site B: Usually a minor personal comfort break, so coverage continues.
- Detour to pick up a child or run a personal errand: Usually a substantial deviation, so coverage is paused during the detour and resumes when you return to the business route.
- Picking up materials or attending a business meeting at the employer’s request: Typically covered as a special mission.
- First trip of the day from home to the first site: Usually a non‑covered commute unless another exception applies, such as paid travel time or an employer‑controlled shuttle.
- Driving a personal vehicle to a client site with mileage reimbursement: Often covered when the employer benefits from the trip.
- Independent contractor status can change the analysis. Coverage depends on whether you were an employee under Virginia law.
Evidence that strengthens a between‑sites claim
Think in terms of what you can gather in the first week, and what you will build over the next few months. Strong documentation closes the door on many defenses.
- Police report, body‑worn camera or dashcam video, and intersection or business cameras for accidents involving third‑party drivers.
- Work orders, dispatch notes, route plans, GPS breadcrumbs, telematics data, and vehicle assignment sheets.
- Employer policies on company vehicles, paid travel time, and mileage reimbursement.
- Medical records from the authorized treating physician and specialists, including imaging and therapy notes.
- Pay stubs and HR letters showing wage loss, light duty offers, or the lack of suitable light duty.
What to do next: how Renfro & Renfro can help
If you suffered a work related car accident while traveling between job sites, Renfro & Renfro can help you navigate Virginia workers’ compensation and any related car accident claim. Act quickly, report the injury in writing, select an authorized treating physician, and file your workers compensation claim with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission before the deadline.
Strong documentation and timely legal guidance help move you from uncertainty to recovery. Contact us today to discuss your case.
FAQs
Q: Does workers’ comp cover a car accident at work in Virginia?
Often yes. If the crash occurred while you were traveling between job sites for work purposes, coverage is likely. The ordinary commute is usually excluded, but exceptions like paid travel time, employer vehicles, and special errands can apply.
Q: Am I covered if I was in my own car between job sites?
Possibly. Ownership of the vehicle does not decide coverage by itself. The key is why you were on the road, whether the employer benefited from the trip, and whether any personal detour was substantial. Keep mileage logs, texts, and schedules.
Q: What if I was partially at fault for the crash?
Workers’ comp is generally a no‑fault system, so partial driving error does not automatically bar benefits. Separate car accident claims still depend on fault and available insurance coverage.
Q: Can I choose my own doctor?
Your employer or its insurer should offer a Panel of Physicians. You choose one doctor from that list. If a proper panel is not offered or is defective, you may have options. Selecting the right physician early can shape the entire claim.
Q: What if the other driver has no insurance?
Workers’ comp benefits are separate from automobile liability insurance and is provided through your employer. For automobile insurance coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can step in. Policies to review include your own insurance and any employer coverage if you were in a company vehicle. Coordination with the comp claim is important because of potential liens.
Q: How long do I have to report the injury and file with the Commission?
Report to your employer right away and no later than 30 days. File your workers compensation claim with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of the accident.
Q: Can I get workers’ comp and a car accident settlement?
Yes. Many workers have both a comp claim and a third party claim. The comp carrier may have a lien on part of your recovery, so settlement strategy and timing matter. Accurate accounting of paid benefits is essential.
Q: What if the insurer says I deviated from work?
Provide route data, receipts, and messages that show the business purpose for your trip and the limited nature of any stops. Clarify when, and how, you reentered the business route after a personal detour.
