A serious collision between a bus carrying Hyundai factory workers and a sugarcane truck in Piracicaba, São Paulo, has left five people injured, including one in grave condition. The accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, May 6th, on a highway in the region.
According to reports, four Hyundai employees sustained minor injuries, while the 53-year-old bus driver suffered leg fractures. The driver was transported to the Santa Casa de Piracicaba hospital for treatment. The bus was transporting a total of 25 Hyundai employees at the time of the incident.
Hyundai has confirmed that all passengers on board received medical evaluations and have since been released to their homes, where they are under domiciliary observation. The company stated it is providing support to those involved and will cooperate with authorities investigating the cause of the crash.
Legal expert Letícia Rossi, a lawyer specializing in workplace accidents and occupational diseases, has clarified that employees injured in such incidents while using company-provided transportation have specific rights. She explained that this situation is classified as a 'commuting accident' under Brazilian law, specifically protected by Law No. 8.213/1991.
Under this law, workers injured during their commute to or from work are entitled to the same social security benefits as those injured in a typical workplace accident. This includes the right to file a lawsuit in Labor Court seeking compensation for moral damages, with the responsibility falling on the company that provides the chartered transport.
Furthermore, workers who require more than 15 days off due to injuries from such an accident are granted provisional job stability for 12 months following their medical clearance and return to work. The employer is required to issue a Workplace Accident Communication (CAT), and the worker will be referred to the National Social Security Institute (INSS) for a medical evaluation to determine temporary or permanent incapacity.
In cases where a worker suffers permanent physical sequelae from the accident, they may also be entitled to seek material compensation, which can include a lifetime pension, in addition to moral damages. For the bus driver, since he was on duty at the time, the accident is considered a typical workplace accident, granting him the same rights to stability, potential lifetime pension, and moral damages claims.
The bus company responsible for the chartered service, Viação Monte Alegre, has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident. Based on reporting from g1.