In Mississippi, employers are responsible for covering travel expenses, such as gas, for injured workers to get to and from medical treatment. Rather than cover the mileage associated with the travel, some employers will arrange for transportation for the Employee to be taken to and from their appointment. Either way, injured workers need to realize that they do not have to shoulder the burden of getting to and from their appointments alone. There is no minimum distance that must be traveled for an employer to be forced to pay for travel expenses.
The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission establishes a mileage rate that applies to all injured workers throughout the State of Mississippi. Currently, the rate for injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2020, is $0.58 cents per mile. This rate can be found on the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission website. It is crucial that Employees that drive themselves to and from appointments keep a log of their appointments so that the Employer can be notified to pay mileage benefits. The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission requires that Employee inform the Employer of their travel expenses and that the Employee be reimbursed within 30 days of the receipt of the request.
An Employer that fails to reimburse an Employee for mileage could be subject to an order by an administrative law judge at the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission to reimburse the mileage and pay penalties for failing to fulfill their obligations. When people are hurt at work, it can flip their lives upside down. Forcing employers to reimburse injured workers for travel expenses means one less thing for a person to worry about.
If you or a loved one are hurt at work in Mississippi and want to ensure you receive every benefit that you are entitled to receive, including travel expense reimbursement, please call Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A., for your free consultation. Our Mississippi Workers’ Compensation legal team of attorneys and paralegals are ready to help you obtain the recovery you deserve.
