When Things Get Weird: Fascinating Cases, Different Jurisdictions

A reminder that every case is different. Injuries occur in unusual situations that challenge how we think about Workers’ Compensation and how every state and jurisdiction applies the law differently.

• The “Skiing Chaperone Case,” is about a teacher who accompanies a school ski club as a chaperone. Is she eligible for Workers’ Comp if injured while skiing? Is this a work injury, or did her volunteer status exclude her? After all, skiing is fun. The answer may surprise you.
• A worker on the job outdoors needed to relieve himself. He was standing on a railing over a concrete slab six feet below, unzipped … and he fell and was hurt Unfortunately, he also had an elevated blood-alcohol level and an indication of drug use. So, did the “the personal comfort doctrine” apply, or did intoxication trump his claim?
• Plus, a law enforcement officer attending a conference partook of a “hospitality” suite, enjoying alcoholic beverages before falling off a balcony to his death; A truck driver who stepped into boiling water when he was awakened in his truck cabin; And an obese woman who got stuck in her workplace cafeteria booth, breaking a bone.

These are real cases, and real people were hurt. No injury is funny or subject to ridicule. But these cases illustrate the challenges Workers’ Comp attorneys face. Every worker is important and entitled to protections, but many cases are far from clear cut.

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