When Working From Home, Trip Over Dog Not a Workers' Comp Injury
A Florida appeals court reverses a compensation claims judge who would have allowed compensation.
April 08, 2019 at 10:44 AM
4 minute read
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A Florida court has ruled an employee working from home who was hurt when she tripped over her dog while reaching for a coffee cup in her kitchen was not entitled to workers' compensation benefits because her injury did not “arise” out of her employment.
The Case
Tammitha Valcourt-Williams, a workers' compensation claims adjuster for Sedgwick CMS, was allowed to work from her home. According to Valcourt-Williams, after working for three hours, she went downstairs for a cappuccino. As she reached for her cup, Valcourt-Williams said she fell over one of her two dogs and injured her knee, hip and shoulder.
Because she had a work-from-home arrangement and because her fall occurred during working hours, Valcourt-Williams sought workers' compensation benefits.
Sedgwick denied the claim, contending Valcourt-Williams' injuries did not arise out of her employment.
After a hearing, the Judge of Compensation Claims sided with Valcourt-Williams. The JCC determined the injury was compensable because the work-from-home arrangement meant Sedgwick “imported the work environment into the claimant's home and the claimant's home into the work environment.”
Sedgwick appealed.
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