Although the majority of George Floyd protests across the country and the globe have been peaceful, some protest groups have been agitated and incited to the point of looting. Business owners and their employees in these areas of looting were forced to try to board up their properties. Although it is unclear if any business owners or workers have been hurt in the looting – most reported injuries have been inflicted upon protesters and some police officers – many are left wondering what will happen if they are.
What happens if a protester breaks into your employer’s store and you get injured while trying to stop them from taking your products? Is this something that workers’ compensation benefits will cover? For most workers, the answer should be ‘yes.’
Workers’ compensation is meant to provide medical costs and a portion of typical wages to any covered employee who is hurt at work or due to their work duties. Assuming that the looting is happening where you work, any resulting injuries should be covered by workers’ compensation. This coverage follows the same line of thinking as providing for workers who are hurt by any other criminal on the property, like a thief trying to steal from the register.
Storeowners might also be covered by some sort of workers’ comp or disability pay if they are hurt by agitated protesters. It depends on the details of the insurance policy they purchased for their business. In attempting to stop looters, a storeowner would be acting in the preservation of their business and in a way expected of them, which should be covered in a typical claim.
Many businessowners and employees have never experienced looting in their cities before. The possibility of it happening now during the ongoing protests is new and confusing to them.
If you are wondering what you can do if you or your employees are hurt or have been hurt by looters, then know that Rodich Law in Woodland Hills can help you. We have 35+ years of experience handling complex and high-value workers’ compensation claims for clients in all sorts of work injury situations. With all of our case successes added together, we have recovered more than $65 million for our clients.
Let’s see if we can help you make a workers’ comp recovery, too. Call 818-888-3000 for a free case evaluation.
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