For those who drive for a living, it is not always easy to plan for the unexpected. If you are hurt while in a car accident, for example, you might spend several weeks unable to drive, and that creates a financial burden. The Black Car Fund could offer a solution to you.
The Black Car Fund provides workers’ compensation insurance as well as safety education and wellness support for those who work in the black car and limousine industry, as well as rideshare companies. You pay into this service and benefit from it when there is a need for help.
By providing you with numerous tools and resources, including workers’ compensation coverage, you can have a bit more peace of mind when it comes to heading out there to get the work of driving people done.
For many drivers, understanding how the process works — especially questions like How Long Does it Take to Get a Workers’ Comp Check? — can make a big difference when recovering from an injury on the job.
Steps Professional Drivers Should Take Immediately Following an Accident
As a professional driver, you must know exactly what you need to do after an accident happens. No matter who is at fault or what you believe caused the accident, you must stop and remain at the scene of the accident. In many cases, consulting a riverside workers compensation attorney can help you understand your rights and navigate any claims. In most situations, you will need to call the police to document the accident and your losses and exchange information with the other driver
Once you stop, request medical care if you are hurt. By calling 911, a dispatcher will get care to you as soon as possible. Make sure you keep yourself safe during that process, then:
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Do not admit fault in the accident. Do not state you are “sorry” or admit that you were “just looking at your phone.”
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Contact your employer. You will need to contact your employer if you have one. Follow your employer’s requirements on what to do concerning the next steps of the process, including speaking to a company representative about the accident.
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Take documentation of everything occurring. Take photos as well as video of the accident site, the injuries involved, and all parties involved. Get photos of all vehicles or property involved in the crash.
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Get the contact information for witnesses who saw what occurred. This allows you to refer back to them if there is a need to do so after some time.
By taking these steps, you protect yourself throughout this process and focus on your recovery.
Seek Legal Advice Immediately Following a Crash
You can protect your rights after a crash with the support of a legal representative. Even if you believe your case is well documented and that it is clearly the other party’s fault, you still need to protect your rights.
Hiring an attorney allows you to gain insight into what your rights are. It also minimizes the risk that you will be somehow blamed for the incident or otherwise treated unfairly.
What Is the Black Car Fund?
If you are a professional driver, you should know what The Black Car Fund is and how it may work for you. The organization provides professional drivers with the resources they need to maintain their business operations and stay safe while doing it. It offers a variety of tools to help drivers, including:
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Defensive driving courses
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Wellness programs
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Driver education courses
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Dental insurance
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Vision insurance
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Workers’ compensation coverage
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Telemedicine support
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And accident disability insurance plans
When you are driving for a living, you can benefit from having a resource like this to turn to, whether that is an accident or you are hurt on the job.
How the Black Car Fund Assists Those Who Were Injured While Driving
With professional driver accident support, you can gain the hands-on support you need when an accident happens. One of the core ways to do this is to use the workers’ compensation benefits services available to you. Workers’ compensation coverage provides you with a way to recover medical bills and lost wages when you are hurt while providing services.
The company’s pharmacy benefits management program can help you get access to the medications you need if you have been hurt while working for support and healing for an injury or illness acquired while on the job. Your medical benefits may include hospitalization and doctor’s services, as well as full diagnostics, chiropractic treatment, and physical therapy as deemed necessary. It may also provide you with the necessary support for nursing services, medical supplies, and more.
Also, note that compensation benefits pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage when you are hurt on the job. This means you can continue to receive most of your earnings when you cannot work.
Benefits Offered by the Black Car Fund
For those who were injured while providing services to customers, getting help recovering your losses can be challenging. The Black Car Fund benefits aim to provide you with financial support for some of the most common complications that drivers face. Some of the benefits offered by the Black Car Fund include the workers’ compensation coverage, along with the following.
Direct Deposit
With the Black Car Fund, you can get your money faster thanks to the direct deposit service. If you are a covered driver who accepted workers’ compensation claims and you are receiving indemnity payments for your losses – which are the lost wage payments made over time – you can select for these to be made to you through direct deposit. This allows you to get your money faster and limits friction in receiving your claims.
Safety and Wellness Classes
Covered drivers also receive health, wellness, and safety training through the Black Car Fund Wellness, Safety Training, and Education Program. That includes hands-on CPR training, accident risk mitigation, and even free breast and prostate cancer screenings.
The wellness programs teach you how to navigate the physical and wellness demands that professional drivers in the New York area often face. That includes teaching you preventative exercise, mental health exercises, nutrition support, and self-administration of physical therapy.
Defensive Driving Course
Drivers with the Black Car Fund can also get additional help, including a state-certified defensive driving course. This is an 8-hour state-centered course that allows you to receive up to $300 once every three years upon completion through the state. Not only does that help you get a bit of extra money in your wallet, but it also helps you to drive safer, often minimizing risks associated with car accidents, which makes it safer for you to do your job.
Filing a Claim with the Black Car Fund
All of these resources and tools aim to give you the support you need while working as a professional driver in the state of New York. Even with all of those skills, accidents can happen. When they do, you need to know how to file a claim to recover the damages owed to you.
You can learn how to file a claim with the Black Car Fund through their step-by-step process on the website. Note that this process requires you to submit accident reports and medical documentation to showcase what happened and what your losses are.
Know that if you need help with filing a claim, you can seek legal representation to help you through the process.