Claim of Young v. New York State Police
Claimant, a State Trooper, was injured in a motor vehicle accident while driving to work in Westchester County. The Workers’ Compensation Board ruled that her injury arose out of and in the course of her employment, given she was on call 24 hours a day and within her assigned geographical area, and awarded benefits. The employer and its insurance carrier appealed this decision. The appellate court reversed the Board's decision, emphasizing that accidents during commuting typically do not arise out of employment unless there is a sufficient causal nexus established by employer control. The court found insufficient evidence of the employer's control over the claimant's activities at the time of the accident to establish this nexus, distinguishing the case from precedents where such control was present. Consequently, the claim for workers' compensation benefits was dismissed.