Everyone has had a late night worrying about work. Everyone has been too tired to do something after they get home. However, if your time on the clock has left you so tired you have an accident when you are no longer at work, you are at risk for injuries. And those injuries may qualify for coverage under workers’ compensation.
To be sure, it is more difficult to get claims from worker’s compensation if your injuries did not occur on the job, but not impossible. You will need more proof and must act immediately because workers’ fatigue is a complex legal matter.
What is workers’ fatigue?
Fatigue manifests in many ways. It is a consequence of exerting your mind and body through continuous alertness over an extended period of time. The physical and mental exertion demanded from you by your career can lead you to make dangerous miscalculations and lapses in judgment.
Workers’ fatigue increases the risk of accidents when driving, operating heavy machinery or performing tasks that require concentration. You do and say things unintentionally because the fatigue causes anger, anxiety, and weariness. When one’s reflexes and abilities are compromised, they cannot react as fast. Your state of stress and exhaustion can make you a danger to yourself and others.
Do you have a claim?
At the end of the day, your boss must prioritize your health at work. It is the law that if you are physically injured or feel that your mental state has been affected directly because of your job, you may have a claim. You might need help to pursue it.