Safeway Stores, Inc. v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services

What Happened:
A Safeway employee was injured at work but failed to report the injury to her employer within the required time limit. When she later filed for workers' compensation benefits, Safeway argued that her late notice should completely bar her claim for both disability payments and medical expenses related to the injury.

What the Court Decided:
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the worker. The court found that while the employee's late notice might prevent her from receiving disability income payments, it does not automatically block her from getting reimbursement for medical expenses caused by the work-related injury. The court distinguished between these two types of benefits, treating medical expenses separately from disability payments.

Why This Matters for Workers:
This decision provides important protection for injured workers who miss reporting deadlines. Even if you report a workplace injury late and lose the right to disability payments, you may still be able to recover money for medical bills related to that injury. However, workers should still report injuries as quickly as possible to preserve all their rights under workers' compensation laws.