In retrospect, I should have just quit when my manager told me he expected me to quit after experiencing field work. It would have saved me an entire vehicle and my savings account. Instead I doubled down and traded in my fully owned car for a truck so I could better do my job and prove him wrong. My company never offered me a work vehicle, but believed the allowance gave them free reign over using my vehicle for work purposes. My poor car got scratched up within the first week from carrying stuff that shouldn’t be carried in a car and by forklifts. I know, I was young and naïve.
I ended up getting into an accident and the truck was totaled. I had already worked 10 hours that day and 22 hours that week and Tuesday wasn’t over yet. I don’t receive overtime pay. I told my insurance it was a work vehicle when I put the truck on the policy but they denied my claim because I just happened to be carrying something for work. I had no idea that “delivery” was an exclusion. I didn’t even find out where what’s left of my truck was until this week after asking several times. At first my employer wanted me to brunt all of the liability but they opened a claim with their insurance company when I threatened them with a lawyer. I don’t actually have a lawyer, I would only be able to afford one if they agreed to work on contingency. My employer’s insurance won’t cover me either so they’re fighting with my insurance company right now.
I believe my truck saved my life. I have accepted that my truck is gone and that I’ll have to pay off my loan over the next several years. I had to pay for all of my doctor’s visits but at least my legs just feel weird when I touch them. I ended up losing over half a year of wages. I am struggling financially but at least I am not on the street or even worse, dead. The silver lining is that the other person was able to get their own insurance to cover their injuries since my insurance will not.
I hope this helps someone else stand up for themselves and demand a work vehicle. Multi billion dollar company. Did not provide maternity leave so I worked through it. I wouldn’t have crashed if I had not shown up to work that day. Christmas week. Hard lesson learned! I am never carrying shit for work in my vehicle ever again or bringing it to the job site, fuck that!