Slip and Fall Law Firm

What If You Were Injured While Volunteering?

Volunteering has many benefits, from helping the community to reducing your own stress. You network with others and you feel better about yourself. While it doesn’t happen often, volunteers can get injured while helping an organization. You’re not an employee, so who pays for your medical treatment? Here’s what to know about liability 

when you’re volunteering at a nonprofit.

Does Workers’ Compensation Cover You as a Volunteer? 

In most cases, workers’ compensation only covers paid employees. If you’re a volunteer, you will not fall under workers’ compensation claims. There are some exceptions, such as volunteers for a government entity, such as volunteer firefighters. Before you volunteer for any organization, you should ask about their policies to cover injuries that could occur. In some states there are precedents for worker’s compensation to cover volunteers, but it is rare.

Does a Voluntary Endorsement Policy Cover Volunteers? 

Workers’ compensation has an additional policy that can be added to cover workers who may be traveling or who are farm workers. Although the name seems to imply that this endorsement would cover volunteers, it does not. It only covers employees who would fall outside of the workers’ compensation laws.

Liability Insurance Is Usually the Route to Take 

Although volunteers aren’t covered under workers’ compensation, that doesn’t eliminate liability. Most nonprofits have a general liability insurance policy that covers visitors’ injuries. If a person on the property was injured in a slip and fall accident, it would be the general liability insurance that covered medical treatment for the person, whether it was a client, guest, board member, volunteer, or vendor. It’s important to check with the organization you are volunteering for to ensure they have the proper insurance as not all organizations are aware of it or are in possession of it.

What to Do If You Are Injured as a Volunteer

Volunteers who are injured should follow the same procedures as any visitor to the nonprofit. Get treatment and report the injury to a supervisor or director. Save all medical bills and other documentation to demonstrate your claim if you decide to take that route. It’s a good idea to follow up in writing with the organization you volunteered for after you are safe and have received medical treatment as well. You may need to pursue the claim, and you’ll want all documentation, just as if you were injured on your own time.

If you received a personal injury for a slip and fall, then consider contacting a slip and fall law firm. A firm like Attorney Organization may be able to assist you with this personal injury for a slip and fall or other personal injuries.