Horrific attacks in the workplace have become an all-too-common story on our local and national news broadcasts. We generally don’t hear about them unless multiple people are assaulted or killed. However, workplace violence takes place across the country every day. According to statistics from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, almost 2 million people every year are injured or worse as the result of workplace violence.
Sometimes it’s a disgruntled or mentally unstable co-worker who perpetrates the attack. In some cases, the attacker is a former employee — particularly one who was laid off or fired. Other times it’s an unhappy customer or even a robber. Too often, domestic violence spills over into the workplace when an employee’s abusive partner or other family member follows him or her to work.
Pennsylvania employees may be able to collect workers’ compensation if they are injured by workplace violence. However, it’s important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible and to inform your employer of the incident. As with all workers’ compensation claims, the more documentation you have to back up your claim, the easier it will be to begin collecting the money you need to cover medical costs, lost wages and other expenses.
If you’ve been injured in a violent act while on the job, regardless of the circumstances, it’s important to find out what your rights are to workers’ compensation. If your employer failed to provide a safe environment and that failure contributed to your injury, you may be able to take additional legal action. An experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney can provide guidance.
Source: FindLaw, “Can I Get Workers Comp If Assaulted at Work?,” Le Trinh, accessed May 12, 2016
