Worker hurt walking dog wins workers' comp claim

In the case from Tasmania, the employer disputed the claim, as the man was walking his dog when he was injured, and argued that the injury did not arise out of or in the course of employment. (credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com)

A Tasmanian worker who slipped on a wet log and broke his femur while walking his dog around a lake has won a workers’ compensation case against his employer. The injured man worked for an electric company and was required to live in the employer’s accommodation. When he was injured, he was on call for work duties.

Although this case occurred in Tasmania, we have seen similar instances of employees being injured while making “reasonable use” of employer-supplied housing in the United States. In Pierre v. Seaside Farms Inc., an employee suffered an ankle injury after falling on a wet sidewalk at employer-supplied housing. The court found that the injury arose out of and in the course of employment and was compensable because the employee was essentially required to live on the employer’s premises and was making reasonable use of the premises.