A law enforcement officer is any government worker – whether it is at the local, county, state, or federal level – who is tasked with the responsibility of preventing, investigating, apprehending, and/or detaining those suspected of and/or convicted of violating the law. Police officers and sheriff’s’ deputies are obviously part of this career field, but others who are also considered law enforcement include:
- Detectives and criminal investigators
- Fish and game wardens
- Transit and railroad police
- Radio dispatchers
- Crime lab analysts
- Bailiffs
- Corrections officers
- Administrative personnel
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 86 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2015 – 41 of them died as a result of a criminal act while the remaining 45 died accidentally. Additionally, more than 50,000 officers were assaulted while on the job – which left a little more than 28 percent of them injured badly enough to miss time from work.
If you are a law enforcement officer who has been injured in the line of duty, do not try to resolve your case on your own. Wyoming workers’ compensation laws are riddled with rules, regulations, and a strict time limit on claims. Get professional legal assistance from the experts at Burg Simpson in Wyoming as soon as possible. Call our Cody office at 307-527-7891 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form here.
DANGERS FACED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
The International Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a 12-month research study as part of a comprehensive effort to better understand – and treat – law enforcement personnel injuries. Among other things, the researchers found that:
- Officers with less than five years of service were the ones most likely to get hurt.
- Officers wearing seatbelts during a motor vehicle crash missed fewer days than officers who were not.
- Officers trained in arrest procedures, tactics, and use of force sustained less severe injuries when they did get hurt.
The survey also found that the most common law enforcement injuries include:
- Sprains/strains/soft tissue tears: Nearly 47 percent.
- Contusions: 14.6 percent.
- Lacerations: 13.8 percent.
- Exposure to blood borne pathogens: Nearly 7 percent.
- Puncture wounds: 3 percent.
- Broken bones: 3 percent.
- Chronic injuries.
- Burns.
- Internal injuries.
- Dislocations.
- Gunshot wounds.
If you are a law enforcement officer who has been hurt at work, reach out to the work related injury lawyers at Burg Simpson Wyoming by calling our office at 307-527-7891.
CALL BURG SIMPSON’S WYOMING ATTORNEYS
At Burg Simpson’s Wyoming office, we work hard to provide injured law enforcement officers access to the benefits and compensation they deserve when they get hurt on the job. We work on a percentage fee basis, so it costs our clients nothing to move forward with their claim. Our fees are based on any settlement we recover. Complete our Free Case Evaluation Form today or call the Cody, Wyoming office of Burg Simpson today at 307-527-7891 so we can discuss your workers’ compensation claim.