When you chose teaching as a profession, you likely didn’t imagine that you’d wind up injured and unable to work for a time as a result. However, teachers are at risk for a number of injuries.
These can include injuries that result from doing everyday activities to acts of violence, either by students or others who have come onto school grounds to do harm. Let’s take a look at some examples of common injuries.
Repetitive injuries
Teachers often spend their days doing something that many people don’t do much any longer. They write – as in physically write out words and numbers with their hands. Teachers use their hands a lot. Besides writing on a chalk board, they help students with art projects, hang banners and displays and much more. This can lead to repetitive stress injuries to wrists and hands.
Specialized injuries
Depending on their specialty, some teachers are at greater risk of serious injuries than others. Chemistry teachers are at risk of fires, explosions and other mishaps caused by their young amateur chemists. Vocational teachers are working with student wielding dangerous tools. Gym teachers and coaches run the risk of any number of injuries caused by an errant ball of piece of equipment.
Your right to compensation
If you’ve been injured while doing your job, whether you were on school property at the time or not, you’re likely entitled to workers compensation. Even if you bear some responsibility for the injury, as long as you weren’t under the influence or trying to hurt yourself or someone else, you can seek workers’ comp. It’s essential to report the injury as soon as possible.
If you’re having trouble getting the compensation you need and deserve or if you’re being told you need to return to work sooner than you’re able to, it may be wise to seek the help of an experienced workers’ comp attorney who can protect your rights and work to ensure that you get the benefits to which you’re entitled.