Workers Compensation & Falls in Office Lobbies

For many people, going to the office means going to a building that’s shared by multiple companies. Working in an office isn’t something most people would consider being particularly dangerous, but there’s one type of accident that can potentially occur in just about any type of business: slip/trip and fall. If a person falls in the lobby of an office building as a visitor to a business, they could be able to take legal action against the party responsible for maintaining the building’s common areas, such as the owner or property manager. But if you work in an office building and fall in the lobby, are you entitled to workers compensation benefits? 

Can You Get Workers Comp if You Fall in an Office Lobby?

If you slip and fall in the lobby of a shared office building and you are an employee of one of the companies in that building, it’s best to contact a slip and fall lawyer for help with your case because there can be a lot of different factors that need to be considered in terms of how you can pursue compensation for your damages. For instance, one important question would be whether or not you were acting in the scope of your employment at the time of your fall. 

A person can be entitled to workers compensation benefits in many different circumstances, including if they are injured while working away from the office or main jobsite. However, there is a “coming and going rule” that often applies to workers comp cases, meaning that if an employee is injured on their way to work, on their way home, or doing personal errands on their lunch break, they likely would not be eligible for workers compensation benefits. But there are exceptions that can apply to this rule, such as if an employee is running an errand at the direction of their employer. So if someone slips and falls in the office lobby on their way home from work at the end of the day, they may not be eligible for workers compensation. However, if they fell in the lobby while doing something related to their job or if their boss asked them to go out and pick up some office supplies or special snacks to be shared in the office, they could be able to get workers compensation benefits. 

Even if a person’s injuries caused by a slip and fall in an office building lobby aren’t covered by workers compensation, they might be able to recover damages from the party responsible for maintaining the building’s common areas, such as the owner or property manager. 

Contact a Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer

The injuries a slip/trip and fall accident can cause are nothing to laugh about. At Scott Goodwin Law, we’re experienced in handling both slip and fall cases and workplace injury cases and helping accident victims in the State of Michigan get the justice they deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free case consultation and find out how we can help you.

Image: Pexels / Jane Trang Doan