How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 355 severe gunshot incidents over the last decade. These injuries often involve the abdomen or legs, leading to immediate hospitalization and complex surgical needs.
The long-term consequences of a gunshot wound often include permanent nerve damage, restricted mobility, and chronic pain. These injuries frequently result in extended periods of disability that impact your long-term earning capacity and quality of life.
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Free Benefits ReviewWhat causes Gunshot Wounds
Most workplace gunshot injuries occur during violent confrontations, with 72% of cases stemming from physical assaults or beatings by other individuals. Accidental discharges during routine handling or equipment maintenance also represent a significant portion of these severe incidents.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hitting, kicking, beating by other person | 226 |
| 2 | Shooting by other person | 42 |
| 3 | Violent acts by other person— unspecified | 34 |
| 4 | Gun discharge— accidental or intent unknown | 12 |
| 5 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Retail trade accounts for 27% of all reported gunshot incidents, largely due to the high volume of public interaction and the increased risk of robbery or workplace violence.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include security personnel struggling with agitated individuals, accidental discharges during shift changes, and unprovoked attacks by outside assailants. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine your legal options.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | OH | Health Care | "The injured employee was performing a one-on-one watch of a patient who had been brought to the emergency room. The patient became agitated while in the patient room. Security personnel provided assistance to de-escalate the patient s behavior. The patient lunged for a security guard s handgun and a struggle ensued between the patient and two security guards. The patient was able to place his hand on the weapon and it fired while still inside its holster. The injured employee was struck in the abdomen by a bullet while standing at the door opening. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | IL | Administrative Services | "On June 25, 2025, a security employee was walking into a facility ahead of their shift when their firearm discharged. The employee suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee had been managing the site when an unknown individual came onto the site and shot them with a gun. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Transportation & Warehousing | "At 4:30 a.m. on June 20, 2025, an employee suffered a gunshot wound during a verbal altercation in a parking lot. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AR | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was showing a handgun to co-worker when it discharged and a bullet struck the co-worker's leg." | |
| 2025 | MS | Professional Services | "An employee was towing away a vehicle for reposession. When the vehicle was on a lift, he was held at gunpoint and then shot. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "Two employees got into a physical altercation in the parking lot and one employee was shot. The injured employee was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to their lower extremity." | |
| 2025 | IL | Health Care | "An employee was called to the emergency department to assist with de-escalating a patient. During the incident, the patient pulled a firearm out of their bag and began shooting. The employee was shot in the torso. They were hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | LA | Other Services | "An employee and two volunteers were constructing a fence at a jobsite when they were victims of an armed robbery. The employee suffered bullet wounds to the his right forearm, left little and ring fingers, lower abdomen, chest, neck, and cheek, resulting in hospitalization and multiple surgeries. One of the volunteers also suffered gunshot injuries and was treated and released." | |
| 2025 | NY | Retail Trade | "An employee was on break in her car in the parking lot when an individual came out of a nearby store and began yelling at her. The employee was shot by this person three times in her torso/chest. The employee was hospitalized." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.