Medical Mileage & Travel Reimbursement: What California Work Comp Covers

October 27, 2026

Workers’ compensation medical care can involve far more travel than one doctor’s appointment. Follow-up visits, physical therapy, diagnostic testing, pharmacy trips, and medical-legal evaluations can add mileage and other transportation costs while you are already dealing with an injury.

California workers’ compensation generally reimburses reasonable transportation expenses when you must travel for treatment related to your work injury. That means you don’t necessarily have to absorb those costs just because the appointment is away from your home or workplace.

Our work comp attorney in LA, CA can review unpaid travel expenses, evaluate documentation for eligible trips, and help you address reimbursement problems that arise while your workers’ compensation claim is active.

Will I be reimbursed for travel expenses related to my medical treatment?

Generally, yes. California workers’ compensation provides reimbursement for reasonable transportation expenses incurred when you travel to obtain treatment for a work-related injury or illness.

That commonly includes mileage for trips to and from:

• Doctors and specialists
• Hospitals or medical facilities
• Physical or occupational therapy
• Diagnostic testing
• Pharmacies
• Medical-legal evaluations related to the claim

The important connection is that the travel must relate to medical care or another compensable medical purpose connected with your workers’ compensation case.

How much does workers’ comp pay for medical mileage?

California sets a per-mile reimbursement rate for qualifying medical and medical-legal travel. For travel on or after July 1, 2026, the California Division of Workers’ Compensation lists the reimbursement rate at 76 cents per mile. The applicable rate is based on when the travel occurred, not simply when you were injured.

Because mileage rates can change, you should use the DWC rate that applies to the date of each trip rather than assuming the same amount applies throughout the life of your claim. For someone attending frequent therapy, specialist appointments, or medical evaluations across Los Angeles, those reimbursable miles can add up quickly.

Are parking, tolls & other travel expenses reimbursable too?

Mileage is not the only travel expense that can qualify. California DWC identifies reasonable transportation expenses as including parking and bridge tolls in addition to mileage. Other necessary transportation costs may also be worth documenting and submitting when they are directly related to treatment for your work injury.

Keep receipts for expenses such as parking, tolls, and public transportation whenever possible. Unlike mileage, which can be documented through the distance traveled, these additional expenses are easier to support when you have proof of what you actually paid.

How do you claim medical mileage reimbursement?

Keep a record of each qualifying trip rather than trying to recreate months of travel later.

For every appointment, note information such as:

• The date of travel
• Where you traveled from and to
• The medical provider or facility visited
• The purpose of the trip
• The round-trip mileage
• Any related parking, toll, or transportation expenses

California DWC provides a medical mileage expense form for injured workers. Different forms apply depending on the date of travel because reimbursement rates change over time.

Attach supporting receipts where appropriate, submit the reimbursement request to the claims administrator, and keep a copy of what you sent. A simple mileage log maintained throughout treatment can make this process much easier than trying to reconstruct every appointment at the end of the case.

What if the claims administrator does not reimburse your travel expenses?

Do not assume that an unpaid mileage request means the expense is not covered. Reimbursement can be delayed because documentation is incomplete, a trip is questioned, an outdated rate was used, or the claims administrator simply has not processed the request correctly.

Start by confirming that the dates, destinations, mileage, and supporting receipts were submitted properly. Keep copies of the reimbursement form and any correspondence about the request.

Which work comp attorney in LA, CA has experience with unpaid medical travel expenses?

If you’re receiving treatment in South Los Angeles or elsewhere in the city, repeated trips to doctors, therapy, pharmacies, and medical evaluations can create costs that should not simply be ignored. Our attorneys review mileage logs, receipts, reimbursement forms, and claim correspondence to determine what travel expenses should be paid and why reimbursement may have been delayed.

We can also explain how a second job can affect your benefits and how work comp payments are treated for tax purposes, giving you a clearer picture of the financial issues that can arise while your claim is active. Schedule a free consultation, and we’ll help you document eligible expenses, address unpaid reimbursement, and protect the benefits connected to your injury. Contact us today!