Shot on the Job: Will Workers’ Compensation Apply?
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Workers who sustain injuries on the job, including injuries resulting from shooting incidents, may be able to recover workers’ compensation. Shootings often result in many injuries or deaths involving workers, with some recent incidents warranting compensation.
The Risk of Shooting Incidents in the Workplace
In any type of occupation, getting shot on the job is a possibility, regardless of whether the individual is a law enforcement officer or in a far less dangerous occupation. Mass shootings and other types of shooting incidents put many at risk of serious injuries and trauma.
One recent incident took place in Nevada over the summer. It involved a man in a passing van who shot a Nevada Department of Transportation employee while the worker was on the job performing work on State Highway 278. Immediately after the shooting, a Nevada Highway Patrol officer saw the driver’s white Ram van driving off at a high speed. The officer then attempted to provide medical care for the injured victim before going after the shooter.
The shooter was later found and the driver got into a shootout with local and state police. Hours later, the shooting ended and the man later succumbed to fatal injuries sustained when an officer shot him. Meanwhile, the worker survived and received treatment for his injuries.
Another notorious incident took place in Las Vegas in 2017. At the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, Stephen Paddock fired more than 1,000 bullets from his nearby hotel room that struck many attendees at the festival. The shooting resulted in 60 fatalities and 867 injuries. Paddock committed suicide following the shooting with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Apart from the many attendees at the festival, many workers were present both at the festival and in the Mandalay Bay Hotel where Paddock was staying and began shooting. As a result, workers suffered from both physical injuries and trauma because of this incident, which could warrant compensation.
Seeking Compensation for Workplace Shootings
After a shooting incident or any other accident that results in serious or even fatal work injuries, workers may be able to file a workers’ comp claim with their employers.
A majority of employers have workers’ compensation insurance that provides coverage to employees in the event of a work-related injury. These claims may cover lost wages, medical treatment, and disability resulting from an incident. This also applies to some shooting incidents that result in serious injuries or emotional trauma for employees who were working when and where the shooting took place.
Despite this, many employees who were injured or traumatized because of a workplace shooting may not believe they have a valid claim because the shooting appeared unrelated to their job. However, they may still have the ability to recover compensation.
Oftentimes, workers experience severe trauma on the job when a shooting takes place, leaving them with debilitating conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Workers may have the chance to recover compensation through workers’ compensation if they experience this or other trauma.
The most important step to take is to act fast and report injuries to employers as soon as possible. This will help initiate the claims process early on in the recovery process.
