Every job has specific risks that workers need to acknowledge and avoid. Those who work in construction or who wash windows will need to take steps to avoid falling from a significant elevation. Those who drive for a living will need to have the utmost care when operating motor vehicles.
People in industries ranging from the medical profession to retail work could end up seriously injured and emotionally traumatized because of an act of violence at their place of employment. Violence in the workplace, whether it comes from a coworker or a customer, can potentially lead to criminal charges for the assailant and leave the impacted workers unable to do their job.
Will workers’ compensation help you after a violent incident at work?
Workers’ compensation does apply to violent incidents
It does not matter who is to blame for your job-related injury or medical issue. Unless you intentionally injure yourself, in which case you may not qualify for benefits, the person to blame for your injury won’t typically matter for the purpose of getting benefits. Workers’ compensation provides no-fault coverage in most work injury scenarios.
You may qualify for medical benefits for your medical treatment for any injuries and also disability benefits to help cover your lost wages. People will qualify both when they are the intended target of a crime and when they end up hurt in a larger-scale attack.
There may be some support for mental health treatment in addition to physical medical care, especially if someone has persistent symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions related to their assault in the workplace.
Workplace violence might lead to a lawsuit as well
When a visitor to your business or a co-worker becomes physically violent toward you, you may have grounds to take legal action against the person who broke the law, as criminal misconduct creates financial liability for property damage and injuries caused.
You could potentially file a workers’ compensation claim and then also pursue a lawsuit against the person that attacked you for the wages and secondary losses that workers’ compensation does not cover. Understanding when a job-related injury may qualify for workers’ compensation coverage will help you get the benefits that you deserve.