Knight v. Department of Labor & Industries

Knight v. Department of Labor & Industries: Worker Loses Benefits After Injury While Intoxicated

This case involved a State Farm employee who was injured while traveling for work and tried to claim workers' compensation benefits. The key issue was whether he was acting within the scope of his job duties when the injury occurred, particularly given that he was intoxicated at the time.

The Washington Court of Appeals ruled against the worker, upholding a lower court's decision to deny his workers' compensation claim. The court determined that the employee failed to prove he was performing work-related activities when he got hurt. Most importantly, the court found that being intoxicated represented a significant departure from his employment duties, even though he was a traveling employee who might normally have more flexibility in his activities.

What this means for workers: This ruling reinforces that workers' compensation coverage has limits, especially regarding personal conduct. Even when traveling for work, employees can lose protection if they engage in behavior like drinking that takes them outside their job responsibilities. Workers should understand that intoxication can disqualify them from benefits, regardless of whether they're technically "on the clock" or traveling for business.