Census workers have difficult jobs. Every census year comes with a variety of documented incidents involving injuries, threats, and violence. Some of the stories are shocking: assaults or threats with a variety of weapons, shootings and guns fired, armed carjacking incidents, dog bites, sexual assaults, and more.
Dog attacks are especially common among census workers, with more than 1,100 bites reported during the 2000 census. A 71-year-old census taker was killed by a pack of dogs in Indiana. Concerns rose so high that in 2010, the Census Bureau provided safety training to workers and urged them to report suspicious behavior and immediately remove themselves from situations that feel unsafe.
Census workers have also faced a new danger during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, census employees voiced concerns over the Census Bureau’s lack of protections against COVID-19 for them while they were on the job.
If you suffered injuries or were attacked while collecting census information, we can help. Contact Uliase & Uliase at 856-310-9002 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Legal Recourse for Injuries During Census Collection
Since census collection is a seasonal job, it may seem that there is no legal action you can take if you’ve suffered an injury while going door-to-door. In truth, all federal employees have certain protections from occupational injuries, regardless of whether those injuries are related to work or were the fault of the federal employee. The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) provides workers’ compensation coverage for employment-related injuries and occupational diseases. For any injury caused by another person, FECA mandates that claimants must attempt to recover damages from the responsible person, known as the third party. Then, the victim must report any recovery he or she obtains to determine whether a portion of the money will cover some of FECA benefits paid as a result of the injury.
If you were injured as a census worker, it may be unclear how and where to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses, especially since your recovery may come from multiple sources. Hiring an experienced lawyer can ensure you pursue the right avenue for compensation and that the process goes smoothly from the very beginning. We can help.
Getting an Attorney’s Help as an Injured Census Worker
A personal injury attorney who is experienced with obtaining compensation on federal workers’ behalf can identify all sources of recovery and guide you through the claims process. If you were injured or harmed as a census worker, you shouldn’t have to go through the process alone. Contact Uliase & Uliase to schedule a free consultation to discuss what happened. Our attorneys have vast experience both with premises liability cases and helping federal employees get the recovery they are due. We do not collect an attorney fee for third-party claims and civil cases unless we successfully obtain compensation for our client.
Your state limits the time you have to file a claim, so the sooner you contact us, the better. Call 856-310-9002. Or, you can fill out our online contact form and someone will call you as soon as possible.