Should worker hurt during altercation receive comp?

Let your crew members know that if they suffer an injury on the job because they were engaging in physical violence, they won’t be eligible for workers’ comp benefits.

For proof, consider the plight of an employee who was hurt while arguing with another staffer. The disagreement started over a dispute about where an item should be positioned on a storage shelf.

The two men were engaged in a heated conversation when one of them poked the other in the chest with his finger and shouted, “I’m going to kick your ass.” The other employee pushed him away, and the staffer fell and suffered a fractured hip.

The injured crew member applied for workers’ comp, but his employer challenged his claim, arguing that he was ineligible for comp because he was hurt while fighting, which is specifically excluded from coverage under comp regulations.

The workers’ comp appeals board agreed with the company, noting that the victim’s injury was the result of an altercation with a colleague.

Cite: Rome v. Bomgaars Supply, Kansas Workers’ Comp Appeals Board, No. AP-00-0487-341, 8/21/25.

(From the October 14, 2025, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)