5 Crazy Employment-Related Claims You Won’t Believe
There are numerous employment-related insurance claims every day across the world. The vast majority are sensible, relating to accidents that occurred because the employer hadn’t taken the necessary safety precautions, or following a mistake.
However, there are times when perhaps an insurance claim seems a little out there. Here are five of the craziest employment related claims you probably won’t believe.
- Backed-up The Wrong Way
A livestock farmer in the UK was doing his usual work supporting a cow giving birth, with help from the light on his iPhone. After, what we assume, was the birth of the calf, Ivor Bennett, suddenly realized he was missing something: his phone.
Apparently it was dark and stormy that night.
The phone later reappeared, though it is of no surprise that it failed to make another call. Ivor received full compensation from his insurance company.
- Lights Out
An Australian woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, filed for compensation after being hospitalized following an overnight stay in a hotel for her employer. Her injury was caused by a falling lamp that fell on her head cutting her nose and lips. Nothing unusual there.
However, investigations found the lamp had been ripped from the wall during a passionate moment with a male friend. Originally the claim was not authorized as the employer said it had not sanctioned such activities nor were they standard practice for overnight stays. The woman won on appeal as the judge stated, “If the applicant had been injured while playing a game of cards in her motel room, she would be entitled to compensation even though it could not be said that her employer induced her to engage in such activity.”
- Impressing Co-workers
Clinton Dwyer was out to do one thing when he took on his arch nemesis: impress a female co-worker. The item involved with his accident was a vending machine that was notorious for holding back on snacks. Employees would regularly shake the machine to retrieve their bag of crisps.
When Clinton was asked to help, he went one better and took on the machine ‘hockey style’. The result was a broken hip and compensation based on being injured while coming to the aid of a co-worker seeking personal comfort.
- Dog Awful Injury
J.C. Penney was left out of pocket when an Oregon judged ruled that employee Mary Sandberg was injured during her employment. Sandberg worked as a decorator and kept fabric samples in her garage to show clients. Sandberg went to her garage to retrieve some samples when she tripped over her dog, fell and broke her wrist.
Previous cases and the fact that her employer required her to keep samples at home meant the claim was successful.
- High Up
One morning, Brock Hopkins, decided to smoke some weed before going to work. The Great Bear Adventures employee then continued with his normal day to day tasks as a bear feeder.
That was until a hungry bear thought Hopkins would make a better meal than what he had in his bucket. The employee managed to scramble to safety but was hospitalized. The court’s written decision did question Hopkin’s decision to mix weed and grizzly bears, and even went as far as calling it “mind-bogglingly stupid.” However, they still ruled in his favor and awarded him $65,000 to cover medical bills.
Conclusion
Employee claims can come in any form. So it’s always best to make sure you are protected for all eventualities! Check out your insurance policies to make sure you’re covered.
What are the weirdest claims you’ve experienced? Were you covered for that claim?