Workers Compensation for Teachers Who Face Violence at Work

According to a survey published by the American Psychological Association, 80% of teachers have been victimized at least once in the current or previous school year.

missouri classroom

School violence against teachers has been declared a national crisis by experts researching the phenomenon. With a country that is already dealing with the tragic school shootings and other acts of terrorism, violence against teachers is extremely worrying.

In states like Baltimore, for example, teachers are second, following only the police force on the list of public workers who suffer work-related injuries due to violence. Things aren’t as bad in Missouri, but the problem is still prevalent.

Risks are even greater for teachers who work with special needs students or young individuals with emotional issues, but violence can also be done by parents or even co-workers.

Workers Compensation for Teachers Who Face Violence at Work

Teachers who suffer physical or emotional damage while at work, because of work conditions and lack of protective measures implemented by their employer are generally entitled to workers compensation, as long as they report the incident in a timely manner and make their claim in the time period indicated by the state law.

Witnesses, surveillance cameras and medical records are types of evidence that will greatly help the teacher with their claim. If the violence act takes place on school premises, but not during school hours, the teacher is generally still entitled to receive compensation for medical treatment and missed working hours.

The school must provide a safe environment for teachers and other employees as well as for the students. If a school fails to control the persons entering school premises or allows students to enter carrying dangerous items like knives or guns, they are responsible for any incident that might take place. Even if weapons or strangers are not involved, schools who do not employ enough teachers for the number of students they have are directly causing an unsafe environment for them.

Teachers can suffer from other types of work-related injuries and illnesses, like exposure to toxic substances, improper working conditions, stress, etc. However, violence against them is still a large part of the incidents that happen on a regular basis. According to a survey published by the American Psychological Association, 80% of teachers have been victimized at least once in the current or previous school year. By creating such a large impact in a teacher’s working environment, this phenomenon directly affects the students as well, interrupting the teacher-student relationship and creating an unsafe environment for them.

If you work in a school as a teacher and you are the victim of school violence, report the incident in writing as soon as possible and get in touch with an experienced St. Louis workers compensation attorney. They will guide and help you build a strong case, preventing a financial disaster caused by expensive medical bills and missed workdays.

Updated: September 3, 2019