[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-shooting-not-covered-workers-comp\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-shooting-not-covered-workers-comp\/","headline":"Maryland Worker\u2019s Shooting Not Covered by Workers\u2019 Comp","name":"Maryland Worker\u2019s Shooting Not Covered by Workers\u2019 Comp","description":"A Maryland special appeals court denied workers\u2019 compensation medical benefits to a hotel employee shot by the friend of a co-worker. Although the shooting resulted from an argument the claimant had at work, the court ruled that the injuries were disconnected from the workplace. The worker, who was employed as a houseman at a hotel, […]","datePublished":"2011-11-09","dateModified":"2025-04-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/author\/greenberglawoffices\/#Person","name":"Greenberg Law Offices","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/author\/greenberglawoffices\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e0d600bf0d0a422eeda2a75c9d4b0240b93a50067ae011d1484f7dfed7467653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e0d600bf0d0a422eeda2a75c9d4b0240b93a50067ae011d1484f7dfed7467653?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Greenberg Law Offices","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/greenberg-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/greenberg-logo.png","width":301,"height":94}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Founder-Henry-I.-Greenberg-with-attorney-Larry.jpg","url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Founder-Henry-I.-Greenberg-with-attorney-Larry.jpg","width":790,"height":787},"url":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-shooting-not-covered-workers-comp\/","about":["Workers' Compensation"],"wordCount":335,"keywords":["gunshot wound","worker injury","Workers' Compensation"],"articleBody":"A Maryland special appeals court denied workers\u2019 compensation medical benefits to a hotel employee shot by the friend of a co-worker. Although the shooting resulted from an argument the claimant had at work, the court ruled that the injuries were disconnected from the workplace.The worker, who was employed as a houseman at a hotel, apparently got into an argument with a female colleague over a supply cart. In the course of the argument, the male employee touched the female\u2019s hand. The encounter led the female employee to become enraged. She allegedly acted out and overturned tables. Later, the woman called a friend whom she allegedly ordered to \u201ctake care\u201d of her co-worker.The court was told that when the male worker left the hotel, he was pursued in a 13-mile high-speed chase by the woman and her friend. When the male banquet worker stopped his car, he was shot and subsequently paralyzed. The Maryland court felt the injuries were personal and not accidental. Benefits were denied because the assault\u2019s timing and location were outside the \u201crange of dangers\u201d that were part of the worker\u2019s employment.Employees who are harmed by co-workers in or near a job site are sometimes qualified to receive workers\u2019 compensation. In this case, the majority of judges felt the circumstances surrounding the hotel worker\u2019s injuries were too far removed from his workplace. The hotel employee\u2019s assertion that a \u201cspecial hazard\u201d rule applied was dismissed by the court. Judges felt the employee was not purposely placed in a situation that was more hazardous than one that would be faced by anyone else.Despite the majority ruling, one judge disagreed, saying that there was clear correlation between the man\u2019s injuries and his place of employment.While the workers\u2019 compensation claim did not turn out in favor of the man in this case, that is not always the situation. Many employees have a legitimate need for workers\u2019 compensation, and others may be able to appeal a ruling."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Maryland Worker\u2019s Shooting Not Covered by Workers\u2019 Comp","item":"https:\/\/greenberglawyers.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-shooting-not-covered-workers-comp\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]