{"id":368918,"date":"2022-01-07T17:08:37","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T22:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-my-employer-after-a-robbery.html"},"modified":"2025-06-17T15:46:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T20:46:00","slug":"can-i-sue-my-employer-after-a-robbery","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-my-employer-after-a-robbery.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue My Employer After a Robbery?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Can I Sue My Employer After a Robbery?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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You probably can’t bring a civil lawsuit for a robbery at your job, though there are exceptions. Yet, you can file a workers’ compensation claim instead. This option allows you to get workers’ compensation benefits so you can recover after the robbery. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Generally, if you accept workers’ compensation benefits, you can’t then sue your employer. But if your claim gets denied, your employer lacks workers’ compensation insurance, or your employer was grossly negligent, you may sue your employer in court.<\/p>\n

A workers’ compensation lawyer<\/a> could tell you your options and help you decide how to proceed. And if you do need to go to court, you should hire a good personal injury attorney<\/a>. Many lawyers practice in both areas. An employment lawyer<\/a> can give some insight as well.<\/p>\n

Surviving a Workplace Robbery<\/h2>\n

Being the victim of a crime, particularly an armed robbery, is traumatic. The following example shows how a robbery at work could affect an employee.<\/p>\n

Suppose you are an employee at a gas station. It’s late at night, and you’re alone in the store. Suddenly, someone comes in, holds you at gunpoint, and demands all the money in the cash register. You comply, and they leave.<\/p>\n

But it’s not over for you. That’s just the beginning. After you’ve reported the crime, given your statement, and the law enforcement officer leaves, you sit down. You’re shaking. You feel nauseated. You go home, but you can’t sleep. It’s that way for what feels like weeks. When you do sleep, you have nightmares.<\/p>\n

You feel like you’re going through the motions when you’re at work. But then, a customer comes in. Then you break out in a sweat as you relive the robbery. You end up taking a two-week leave.<\/p>\n

You can’t live this way and decide to see a psychiatrist. They diagnose you with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and prescribe medication. They refer you to a psychologist, who sets up weekly appointments. After a few months, you do feel better. But the nightmares don’t go away.<\/p>\n

It leaves you with a lot of medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress. You can’t afford to bear this loss. In theory, you could file a lawsuit against the robber for compensation, but in practice, this is nearly always a dead-end. You may not be able to find the robber, let alone sue. Even if the robber gets caught and convicted, suing may not amount to anything since it’s unlikely the robber has any money. Often, that means the only option for help in your recovery is through your employer.<\/p>\n

Workplace Robberies<\/h2>\n

Let’s start with a definition. What is robbery<\/a>? In general, it’s taking someone else’s property by force or threat of force. It’s the force that distinguishes the crime from theft or shoplifting.<\/p>\n

There are slight differences in the elements of the crime, depending on which state you’re in. For example, in some states, there must be an imminent use or threat of force. In some states, you don’t have to take the property to be charged with robbery successfully.<\/p>\n

Workplace robbery is common. In the United States, about 50,000 businesses<\/a> get robbed each year. One in every 5,000<\/a> workers in the U.S. over 16 is a victim of a workplace robbery. There are about 160 million people<\/a> in the workforce, so it’s fair to say that thousands of people every year will be the victim of a robbery while on the job.<\/p>\n

Businesses that get robbed the most include:<\/p>\n