We all deserve to feel safe in our respective places of business. Given how much time and effort many of us put into our jobs, the least our employers can do is provide us with workspaces in which we feel completely at ease. So, if you ever find yourself physically assaulted in your place of business, don’t take the matter sitting down. In the wake of a physical assault, you deserve justice, vindication and compensation, and with help of the following pointers, you may be able to get all three.
Get to a Safe Location
If the perpetrator of the assault hasn’t fled and you feel as if you’re in continued danger, get yourself to a safe location as soon as possible. Even if it doesn’t seem like the attacker will attempt to assault you again, you’re better off not taking that chance. So, for maximum safety, make sure to put as much distance between yourself and them as you can.
Furthermore, if any of your colleagues or security personnel are within earshot, call for help. The more people are present and aware of the situation, the less likely the attacker is to try anything. While there are a number of subsequent steps you’ll need to take in the wake of a physical assault, ensuring your immediate safety is the most important.
Contact the Authorities
Once you’ve gotten yourself to a safe location, make a point of contacting the police. For one thing, this will help ensure that the attacker is promptly arrested – or, at the very least, placed on law enforcement’s radar. Secondly, if you choose to take legal action against the attacker and/or your employer, it’s important that you have an official police report of the incident. Just remember – the sooner you contact the police, the sooner they can get to work on your case. By extension, make sure to get your injuries checked out by a doctor, as this will ensure that there’s an official medical report.
Make Your Employer Aware of the Incident
In addition to reporting the incident to police, you’ll need to make your employer aware of what transpired. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, they may opt to immediately take disciplinary action against the attacker or launch an internal investigation. Additionally, should you decide to take your employer to court, you’ll need proof that you informed them of the incident and that their response was unsatisfactory.
Cease Contact with the Attacker
Even if the attacker is a good friend or close professional acquaintance, you’d do well to cease all contact with them in the wake of the incident. For starters, continuing to have a relationship with them stands to place your safety at risk. After all, if they assaulted you once, how can you be sure they won’t attempt to do it again? Secondly, continued communication with the attacker is liable to give off the impression that you aren’t particularly frightened of them, which may harm your case moving forward. For example, their attorney may cite your ongoing association with them as proof that you don’t view them as dangerous.
For good measure, you should file for a restraining order – especially if the attacker strikes you as particularly unstable. Even if you’re unable to get a full restraining right away, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to take out a temporary one while the facts of your case are still being considered.
Get in Touch with an Attorney
If you wish to pursue a civil case against the attacker and/or your employer, you’ll need to enlist the aid of a knowledgeable attorney. When shopping around for the right lawyer, keep an eye out for attorneys who have proven track records of success and ample experience working with people who have found themselves in situations like yours. Sarasota-based victims of workplace assault shouldn’t hesitate to begin their search for dependable Sarasota personal injury lawyers.
Being physically assaulted at work is liable to leave you feeling frightened, angry and hungry for restitution. No one should have to contend with such dangers in the workplace – or anywhere else, for that matter – so if you’re the victim of physical assault, it’s only natural that you’d want to see justice served. Fortunately, getting exactly what you’re owed in the wake of a workplace assault doesn’t have to be an uphill battle – particularly if you’re working with the advice outlined above.
