Anyone who drives for a living, or drives a lot for their job, learns to track miles. The same habit pays off after a work injury, when every trip to a doctor, therapist or pharmacy adds up. In New York there is a set rate for that travel, and the New York mileage reimbursement rate for workers' comp changes from time to time, so an old number on a website may be wrong.
This guide covers how mileage is tracked, what counts as a billable trip and how to avoid the small mistakes that lead to unpaid claims. If your work involves a lot of travel, it is also worth reading what happens if you are hurt on a business trip and whether you are covered.
Why mileage matters more than people expect
One appointment seems minor. Treatment for a back or shoulder injury can mean physical therapy two or three times a week for months, plus specialist visits and imaging. A 20-mile round trip at 76 cents a mile comes to $15.20, and thirty such trips come to $456. Skipping the paperwork means giving that money away.
Know the current rate
The state publishes its figure on the Workers' Compensation Board's page for mileage reimbursement rates. The rate was raised to 76 cents per mile starting July 1, 2026, after 72.5 cents applied earlier in the year. If a form, an insurer letter or an article quotes a different number, check it against the Board's page before you submit anything.
A simple tracking routine
- Write down the date, the destination and the reason for each trip as soon as you get home
- Record the odometer reading at the start and end, or save the map route for the day
- Count the full round trip from home and back, not just one way
- Keep appointment cards, visit summaries or portal screenshots that prove the visit happened
- Submit the claim form on a regular schedule rather than saving everything for the end
A notes app or a plain notebook in the glove box works fine. What matters is that the record is made at the time, not rebuilt from memory months later. For more habits that make life on the road easier, browse our practical travel tips.
Mistakes that cost people money
- Forgetting trips to the pharmacy for prescriptions tied to the injury
- Counting only the distance to the clinic and not the return
- Using an outdated rate on the form
- Losing track of the dates when a claim spans several months
- Assuming small amounts are not worth claiming
Insurers process what they receive. A form with a clear date, route and total is much harder to dispute than a rough estimate.
What counts as a trip
Think of mileage as travel that exists only because of the injury. The obvious cases are visits to a treating doctor, physical therapy, diagnostic tests and the pharmacy. Appointments with an independent medical examiner arranged by the insurer can count as well.
A worked example helps. Say you live 14 miles from your physical therapist and attend twice a week for ten weeks. That is 20 visits, each a 28-mile round trip, for 560 miles. At 76 cents a mile the total is $425.60. It is easy to see how a person who tracks only some of those trips can lose a few hundred dollars without noticing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get paid for parking or tolls? These can be separate expenses, so keep receipts and ask the insurer how they want them submitted.
What if my doctor is far away? You can claim the miles to the provider you are seeing for the injury, so keep the address on record.
How long do I have to submit mileage? Deadlines apply, so it is safest to submit regularly and not let months pile up.
Photo: Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons