After certain types of work incidents, employees may expect to qualify for workers’ compensation coverage. If a tool malfunctions or they fall while assisting a customer, they know they can request coverage to pay for their medical bills and replace their lost wages.
However, many workers in Georgia get hurt in scenarios that are more complex than a simple slip-and-fall. The situation that leads to someone’s injury could clearly be the fault of an outside party, not necessarily the worker or the business. For example, a violent incident on the job might occur if a coworker becomes unstable or if someone attempts to commit a crime at a business. Who covers the costs generated by a violent incident at work?
Workers’ compensation applies to crimes too
Although the person who became violent is clearly to blame for the harm that they caused others, that does not mean that a worker is without recourse. While it may be possible to take legal action against the person who became violent, workers need immediate support after an incident on the job. Workers’ compensation can provide medical coverage and replace their lost wages.
Fault is not a consideration when evaluating whether workers’ compensation coverage applies to a particular situation. Workers can secure benefits when they may have been to blame for the incident, and they have no obligation to prove that their employer was at fault to qualify. That means that a scenario where a third party is at fault, such as a violent encounter with a coworker, patient or customer, could make someone eligible for workers’ compensation coverage.
Acts of violence in the workplace have actually become a more serious concern in recent years, with hundreds of workers dying annually and tens of thousands of workers suffering notable injuries due to violence in the workplace. A worker coping with the aftermath of on-the-job violence may be eligible for both disability benefits to replace their lost wages and medical benefits to help pay for their treatment.
Reporting a violent incident on the job is often the first step toward qualifying for workers’ compensation coverage. Employees who can prove that their medical challenges relate to their work may be eligible for benefits even if an outside party is technically to blame for their harm.