When you joined the nation’s law enforcement industry, you probably thought getting shot by a suspect would be your only injury risk. Considering the training police officers must undergo, you probably feel confident in your ability to avoid such threats.
Gunshot wounds are among the most severe injuries police personnel face, but it is not the profession’s only injury hazard.
Common injury hazards in police work
Although they are less dramatic than getting shot, police officers can suffer ordinary (yet problematic) injuries, too. For example, an officer could slip and fall in the police station and break an ankle.
According to the National Police Support Fund, these are the most common injuries officers suffer:
- Violent acts or assaults
- Body motion injuries (repetitive motions, physical overexertion, etc.)
- Transportation incidents (vehicle crashes, etc.)
- Falling, as mentioned above
In California, law enforcement employees injured in a work incident have the right to file for workers’ compensation benefits. However, for injured police personnel, the program works in a different way than ordinary claims. For example, under California law, injured law enforcement may take a leave of absence without losing any salary until they recover enough to return to work.
If you have suffered an injury or illness related to your police work, you want to make sure you get the full benefits you deserve under state law. One way you can protect your rights and your benefits is to learn more about how injury claims work for you. An advocate knowledgeable about this unique system can fill a valuable role of protection when you have been hurt on the job.