Illinois bus driver wins benefits for parking lot injury
The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission affirmed the arbitrator's findings that an employee's knee twisting injury in the parking lot arose out of and in the course of her employment. The employee was entitled to 48 weeks of temprorary total disability, permanent partial disability under Sections 8(d)2 and 8(3) and $2,245.29 in medical expenses.
Case name: Sims v. Grand Prairie Transit-Lockport, 17 ILWCLB 168 (Ill.W.C.Comm.2009).
Sims, a road supervisor and bus driver for the defendant, testified that she drove into the company parking lot 5 to 10 minutes before the start of her 6:00 a.m. shift. The lot was for employees only, and the defendant maintained the lot. The surface of the lot included large rocks and loose gravel. She stepped out of her car and turned back toward the vehicle to grab her coffee. Her foot became caught on a large rock, and she twisted her left knee. Relying on Doyle v. Industrial Commission, and Mores-Harvey v. Industrial Commission, the arbitrator found Sims' accident compensable under the WCA
Upon review, the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission modified the permanent disability award and affirmed on all other issues.
