In a recent ruling, the New York Court of Appeals has stated that the injuries suffered by a doctor during a mass shooting incident should be addressed by the Workers’ Compensation Board. This decision has potentially placed the doctor’s ongoing federal civil complaint against the hospital at substantial risk.
As reported by the New York Law Journal, the specifics of the case were not detailed. However, the implications for employers and employees are profound.
Workers’ compensation laws are designed to protect workers who are injured on the job, typically covering medical bills and lost wages. The ruling suggests that injuries from mass shootings, which might otherwise be subject to federal civil complaints, might instead fall within the purview of workers’ compensation when they occur in a workplace context.
The implications for companies and their legal teams are considerable. This case represents a potential precedent for how injuries sustained in violent incidents in the workplace can be legally handled. The decision might direct more such cases towards workers’ compensation structures, rather than federal civil complaints.