Franklin v. BHC Servs., Inc.

Worker Wins Right to Have Injury Case Heard in Court

This case involved a worker named Franklin who was injured and sought workers' compensation benefits from their employer, BHC Services. The company argued that Franklin's injury wasn't covered because it happened while "coming and going" to work. Under this rule, employers typically aren't responsible for injuries that occur during an employee's regular commute.

The trial court initially sided with the employer and dismissed Franklin's case without a trial. However, the appeals court disagreed and reversed this decision. The appeals court found there were important factual questions about whether Franklin's accident actually happened "in the course of employment" that needed to be examined more closely. The court said you have to look at all the circumstances surrounding the injury, not just apply the coming-and-going rule automatically.

This matters for workers because it shows that injury cases involving commutes aren't automatically dismissed. Even if you're injured while traveling to or from work, there may be special circumstances that make your employer responsible. Workers have the right to have their specific situation thoroughly examined rather than having their case thrown out based on a general rule. Each case depends on its unique facts.