Adjuster Trips Over Her Dog While Working From Home; Court Decides Compensability

On the day Tammitha Valcourt-Williams tripped over her dog and injured her hip, shoulder and knee, she was technically on the clock, working from home as a workers’ compensation claims adjuster for Sedgwick CMS.

The work-from-home arrangement had been set up with Sedgwick prior to the incident.

Because she was working during the time of injury, Valcourt-Williams sought workers’ compensation benefits. However, Sedgwick denied the claim.

It said that her actions at the time of injury were not part of her duties as a claims adjuster.

That’s because Valcourt-Williams had been brewing a cup of cappuccino in her kitchen. When she reached for her coffee mug, one of her two dogs got in the way and tripped her.