Only the worst cases of school violence tend to make the news. People who don’t work in an educational environment might underestimate the risks faced by teachers and other school professionals, as only mass casualty events generally attract mass media attention.
Violence has become a more pressing concern for professionals in schools, ranging from kindergartens to high schools. Over half of the teachers (57%) surveyed by the American Psychological Association reported experiencing an act of physical violence within the most recent school year, and almost half of support personnel (47%) were also targeted by parents, students and others experiencing emotional dysregulation. What happens after violence in a school environment?
Workers’ compensation could provide help
Employees left injured and traumatized by a violent incident at a school may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Teachers and others working for schools could be eligible for medical benefits that cover the cost of their treatment after a violent incident. Disability benefits may also be available in cases where people need time off to recover from their injuries, as might be the case when a person suffers a concussion due to a blow to the head.
Regardless of the disciplinary measures taken to address the violent incident, the worker injured may have the right to apply for workers’ compensation benefits. Particularly in scenarios where teachers and other employees suffer lasting injuries in a school setting, they may need help throughout the workers’ compensation claims process.
Reporting the incident, seeing a physician for treatment and securing legal support while filing a claim can all help limit the lasting consequences of a violent incident at work. Workers’ compensation benefits can help school employees pay for medical care and replace wages if they are injured by an act of violence.