The ongoing protests in all 50 states following the killing of George Floyd have resulted in some tumultuous situations and understandably high tensions. In some cities, protesters have been incited to looting and retaliation. Both sides of the barricades have suffered injuries, including police officers and National Guard members.
Some of these officers and Guardsmen are facing a dilemma: continue showing up for duty or try to tend to their injuries. What many might not realize is that they are likely covered by workers’ compensation insurance provided as part of their enrollment or enlistment. With proper workers’ comp or disability pay benefits, they can take care of themselves without losing valuable pay.
If you ask a police officer why they joined the force, then most will say they were looking for a steady job with good benefits. To this end, workers’ compensation plans offered to police officers are usually fairly comprehensive and provide access to a good network of medical professionals at no cost to the injured officer. Plans can cover all types of injuries, including those suffered in the line of duty and those that arise from simple mistakes, like slipping and falling in the precinct.
If you are a police officer who has been hurt during protests or in any other capacity recently, then you should definitely look into your workers’ compensation coverage. You can get the assistance of an attorney if your HR department is less than helpful.
Enlistment in the National Guard is not the same as employment in the police force. Access to workers’ compensation is one of the many differences between these two groups. National Guards members are covered by Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits, not workers’ compensation.
VA disability benefits can provide monthly financial benefits with no taxes. There are caveats, though. The National Guard member who is filing must be deemed to be at least 10% disabled by an injury suffered in active duty, such as monitoring protests.
Rodich Law in Woodland Hills is proud to offer our legal services to the men and women of local police forces and the National Guard.
If you need any assistance figuring out your workers’ compensation or disability benefits, then please call our office at 818-888-3000. We can discuss the key details of your case during a free initial consultation.
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