German court rules on occupational accident status after clocking out

The Bavarian State Social Court in Munich has ruled that a car accident caused by an epileptic seizure may still be classified as an occupational accident, even if the employee had already clocked out.

The case involved a customer service clerk who suffered a seizure while driving. The employee had already finished his official shift but was traveling to his employer after picking up necessary equipment from another company. The accident resulted in a severe shoulder injury requiring multiple surgeries and a prosthesis.

While the professional association initially denied the claim, the court determined that the decisive factor is whether the trip served a business purpose, regardless of whether the individual had officially clocked out for the day.