Can teachers qualify for worker’s comp?

Teaching is often a hard and stressful profession. Many educators deal with students who come from all types of backgrounds, and teachers must develop lesson plans to meet varying learning styles and abilities.

But what about on-the-job dangers? The risks may be more obvious for people who work in industries such as manufacturing, especially when equipment such as forklifts are in the picture. Make no mistake, though, there are plenty of job dangers that may lead to teachers qualifying for worker’s comp. Here is a look at a few:

Violence

Teachers are at risk of being injured when students get violent. In fact, quite a few educators receive little or inadequate training on how to break up student fights and the like, or how to handle/report them.

Work stresses

Specific work stresses, such as student bullying; chairs with little ergonomic support; discrimination; lack of planning time; and a lack of materials such as pencils, markers and notebooks, can also add up enough to constitute a worker’s comp claim. For example, it can lead to sleeping problems, high blood pressure and digestive issues.

It may also be possible to get worker’s compensation from a single incident, such as a student bringing a gun or grenade to school or sexuality-related bullying causing a teacher to fall.

Exposure to toxins

At work, some educators are exposed to toxins such as mold, dust, dirt and fumes. They may also become exposed to rats and other vermin. Teachers may inhale, swallow or absorb toxins through their skin or eyes, with negative results in the short term and/or long term. Possible consequences include headaches, nausea, throat irritations and muscle spasms. They can also be more severe, including cancer and fertility issues. Of course, in situations such as cancer or affected fertility, pinning down causes can be difficult. In such a situation, an attorney can help you explore potential causes. Compensation may include reimbursement for medical costs and awards for temporary or permanent disability.