Workplace Pranks That Have Led to Injury and Tragedy

Workers’ compensation benefits aren’t just for injuries caused by falling from scaffolding, slipping in the warehouse, or getting hit on the head by a 2×4 on the job site.

People also get hurt by workplace pranks done in the spirit of “horseplay” or “just joking around.”

If you’ve been injured on the job, your next step — after seeking medical attention and submitting an incident report to your supervisor — is to contact us to schedule an appointment. Accident Defenders in Tarzana, Southern California will provide you with expert advice and representation for employment and workers’ compensation claims.

There are Harmless Pranks

Everybody loves a good laugh, and that doesn’t change when you get to work. Plenty of things can be funny without risking life or limb. You might replace a coworker’s family photos with photos of a celebrity and their family. You could encase someone’s stapler in a gelatin mold a la the popular sitcom The Office. Other harmless gags might be covering everything in a coworker’s cubicle in wrapping paper or filling their cubicle with balloons. The Internet brings even more opportunities, such as organizing a virtual flash mob to perform a song during a Zoom meeting. No harm done.

Then There are Pranks with Tragic Consequences

It seems like there is no limit to some people’s poor judgment, and what they think will be funny turns out very badly. Check out a few examples from the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Council on Compensation Insurance:

  • Employees thought it would be funny to grease the stairway handrails in the building, which caused people to fall and break bones.
  • A worker jumped onto a forklift and chased fellow employees around until one of them got injured, falling down a flight of stairs trying to escape.
  • A worker chased a colleague through the work area until the person tried to jump across a trench to get away, breaking his ankle in the process.

We Understand You Have a Lot at Stake

If you’ve been injured at work by a gag gone wrong, it’s no laughing matter. Your pain and losses are real, and we will take your case seriously. We will help you obtain the best possible outcome for your case, enabling you to take care of yourself and your family by:

  • getting the care and treatment you need to get well;
  • paying for medical costs;
  • Keeping up with your bills while you are out of work; and
  • obtaining temporary or permanent disability benefits.

Don’t Make Assumptions

If your injuries result from a workplace prank, you may think this automatically makes you ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits. This is not true.

You may be worried that if you file for workers’ compensation, your employer will fire you. That would be illegal.

Do Get the Facts

Our team of advocates in Tarzana, Southern California will listen to you carefully and provide the expert guidance you need to understand your rights as well as the complex legal issues, company policies, and workers’ compensation procedures involved in your situation.

Before you jump to any conclusions or give up without fully exploring your options, give us a call. Accident Defenders provides representation for employment and workers’ compensation cases.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

 

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