“We’re gonna need a bigger boat” (cue the “Jaws” music) is not something one might typically hear on the job in the landlocked state of Iowa. However, in the summer of 2024, a shark attack became a Midwestern reality for one worker who was the victim of a prolonged bite from a bamboo-shark. It makes slightly more sense when you learn the worker was employed at an aquarium, but in reality, there are many types of unpredictable (varying from slightly to “what in the actual world?”) workplace related injuries. In light of the unusual shark-bite-headline-making incident, we’ve gathered four other “you’ll never guess” workplace injury stories and the Workers’ Compensation claims that followed.
1) Would You Like a Neck Injury with That?
Picture this: you’ve just fumbled your keys while stepping out of the car. As you watch them sailing through the air in slow-mo, your free hand miraculously grasps them before they can hit the ground. Best feeling ever, right? Not for one McDonald’s manager who experienced “a burning pain” in her neck after snagging a wayward bag of fries mid-air. When the manager filed a Workers’ Comp claim, the fast-food giant appealed, saying that bending over wasn’t sufficient grounds to award Workers’ Comp benefits. Not-so-fast, said the court in a more courtly manner. The claim was granted after discovering that the worker had been required to quickly “bend, jerk, and twist” in favor of not wasting food and serving customers promptly, which advanced McDonald’s business.
2) Thanks a Lot, Rover.
Dogs are — typically — man’s best friend. If you work from home, they can even be your all-time favorite coworker…except when they become a tripping hazard. In this case, an interior decorator for a department store worked out of her own home while not serving customers in their homes. One day, as she was on the way to the garage to grab some fabric samples, she tripped over her dog when it decided that exact moment was the right time for some much-needed petting. Having sustained injuries, the employee was pawsitive she had a valid Workers’ Comp claim. Even though the department store appealed, the courts ultimately ruled in the decorator’s favor.
3) A Different Kind of Food Fight.
In a perfect world, pizza delivery drivers would always be treated nicely and tipped well for the vital and delicious services they provide to the community. Sadly, many such delivery drivers will tell you they experience otherwise — and none more so than the driver who suffered a collapsed lung upon returning to their pizzeria employer. The delivery driver was attacked after accidentally bumping into a rowdy panhandler as he walked back into the restaurant. The encounter resulted in ongoing medical issues, for which the employee filed a Workers’ Comp claim. Despite the employer challenging the claim, it landed as a win for noble pizza delivery drivers everywhere. Regulators determined he was indeed entitled to benefits.
4) Look Out for the Humans.
As a rule of thumb, it’s prudent to limit your personal cell phone time at work. Beyond any qualms about wasting company time, it can also make staying on task difficult. Turns out, putting down the cell phone can also help you focus on efficiency of work, catching errors and — very importantly — not running over your coworkers with a cement truck. Proof-in-point, as a truck driver was delivering cement to a job site, he reported feeling a slight bump from what he thought was a curb or piece of work equipment. In fact, he had run his coworker over. The driver later admitted he was “possibly” talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone and wasn’t terribly on the path, taking the consequences of distracted driving to a whole new level. Ultimately, the coworker successfully filed for Workers’ Comp benefits.
In Conclusion — You Just Never Know
Rare and unconnected as these cases are, they all underpin the necessity for Workers’ Comp insurance. While your workplace might not feature obstacles like bamboo sharks or flying french fries, it most likely includes fallible human beings.
Need more help understanding Workers’ Comp laws and the right kind of coverage for your unique business? That’s what the Vibrant Insurance Group team is here for — give us a call, and we’ll help keep you and your workforce protected.
