The recent shooting at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in which one worker died and five others employed at the facility were injured, has put many who work in the field of health care on edge.

In an effort to prevent another such incident in Pennsylvania, officials at UPMC are reportedly revisiting its procedures regarding security in case an incident such as this one would occur on its premises. UPMC’s president of Hospital and Community Service indicated that the policies and procedures currently in place meet the nationwide standards.

According to a 2005 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 28 percent of employees in the social assistance and health care fields reported workplace violence occurred within the previous 12 months. The president of Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania, said that the percentage is even higher at larger employers like UPMC.

No one expects, nor should they be injured due to violence in the workplace. Nonetheless, workers are injured on a regular basis throughout the state. Fortunately, there are legal steps that can be taken by employees.

An injured worker can file for workers’ compensation benefits. Successful claims can potentially secure compensation for things such as medical bills and lost wages. This is designed as a type of stop-gap until the worker is ready to get back to their job.

When the injuries are sustained on the job but due to a third party’s action, the injured worker may also be able to file a third-party liability claim against that party. As opposed to a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party liability claim is an actual lawsuit. Accordingly, when successful, the injured party could recover additional compensation.

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “UPMC tries to ease workers’ security fears after deadly shooting,” Andrew Conte and Tom Fontaine, March 9, 2012