On the Job Injuries: Workers’ Compensation for Teachers
As parents throughout South Carolina get their children ready to return to school, teachers are making sure they and their classrooms are ready as well. Being a teacher is a demanding occupation, requiring professionals to rely on their academic skills and their social and physical skills. While not necessarily considered a dangerous occupation, the various tasks teachers are required to perform in their day to day job duties put them at risk for on the job accidents and injuries. Fortunately, when injuries do occur, worker’s compensation benefits for teachers are available to help deal with any medical expenses and lost wages they suffer.
Teacher On the Job Injuries
According to the latest statistics from the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), roughly 40,000 teachers suffer some type of on the job injury each year. Elementary and secondary school teachers are most at risk, and the types of injuries they suffer can seriously impair their ability to function in the classroom. Potential accidents and injuries that teaching professionals can suffer in the course of their employment include the following:
- Slip and fall accidents, resulting from cluttered walkways and slick floors
- Being struck by or against objects, both in the classroom and in hallways
- Repetitive strain injuries, as the result of tasks such as writing on blackboards or stapling papers
- Overuse injuries, resulting from lifting heavy objects
- Chronic health conditions, caused by exposure to unsafe building materials or chemicals used in classroom settings
- Stress related injuries, which can build up over time, resulting in heart disease, stroke, and nervous conditions
Workers’ Compensation for Teachers: Classroom Violence
In addition to on the job injuries that can threaten a teacher’s health, violence in the classroom can also jeopardize their overall safety. According to Education By The Numbers, a national non-profit aimed at improving the education system, while the number of teachers injured due to work related activities has decreased over the past five years, the numbers of injuries teachers suffer due to school related violence has dramatically increased. These injuries can occur as the result of breaking up fights between students or as the result of threats and violent acts committed directly against the teacher themselves. Personal injuries related to school violence can result in
serious medical consequences, such as severe wounds, muscle sprains, and
broken bones. Injuries on the job can also make it difficult for teachers
to return to the classroom or even continue to work in an educational setting.
For a free legal consultation, call 803-222-2222
Fortunately, South Carolina workers’ compensation benefits are available to assist teachers, whether their injuries result from on the job accidents and hazards, or due to school violence. These benefits may include the following:
- Payment of medical expenses, including the need for ongoing physical and psychological care
- Reimbursement for lost wages
- Compensation for temporary or permanent disabilities the teacher suffers
- Job retraining in the event that the injured teacher is unable to report to the classroom
Contact Our Experienced South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorneys.
If you or someone you care for suffers a job related injury or accident, contact Anastopoulo Law Firm immediately. Our experienced South Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys can advise you on your rights to compensation and assist you in getting the benefits you may be entitled to.
Contact us today for a free consultation on your case.
Call or text 803-222-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
