Six months is the deadline that matters most in Vermont: if you were hit on North Main Street in Barre while working, you should report it right away, and Vermont law generally requires notice to the employer within 6 months of the injury.

No, your coworker is not right. If the crash happened while you were doing your job, you may have two separate claims:

• a workers' compensation claim through your employer's insurance
• a third-party injury claim against the driver who hit you

That matters a lot in Vermont, because the minimum auto coverage is only 25/50/10 - just $10,000 for property damage, which is thin in a serious motorcycle, bike, or scooter crash.

Workers' comp should cover reasonable medical treatment and wage-loss benefits if you miss work, even if nobody was "at fault." It is not limited to a company-chosen doctor in the broad sense people sometimes hear. In Vermont, you can usually choose your treating provider, though the insurer may ask for an independent exam or push for certain paperwork. Medicare usually should not be the first payer for treatment that workers' comp should cover.

If your employer says you must do light duty, that depends on whether your doctor clears it. If the job is outside your restrictions, that is a problem. If they cut off benefits or deny the claim, you can ask the Vermont Department of Labor, Workers' Compensation Division for help, including an informal conference.

And no, your employer cannot legally retaliate against you for filing a valid workers' comp claim. If they start cutting hours, changing duties, or pressuring you not to report the injury, document it.

So if a store vehicle, tourist, or delivery van hits you near Barre City Place while you are on the clock, workers' comp is often the first claim - but it is not always the only one.