Medieval Times But 21st Century Justice
Posted by
Bob CarrollOctober 07, 2005 4:55 AMThe Knights of King Arthur never heard of workers' compensation. But, a Newsday article reports that today's knights are coverd by it and know how to duel in our courts. Many workers in Florida are knights in combat almost daily. I think of police officers, construction workers, bridge builders, football players and others. There are legal obligations to the injured worker.
The Knights of King Arthur never heard of workers' compensation. But, a Newsday article reports that today's knights are covered by it and know how to duel in our courts.
Garrett Bonham jousted and fought duels as a knight at Medieval Times, suffering a broken nose and collarbone, a concussion and a battlefield's worth of other injuries. [Medieval Times] fired Bonham more than a year ago, contending that he no longer performed up to standard, he said. But the former knight is fighting back with lawyers--not swords--in a federal lawsuit that alleges he was discriminated against for filing and receiving worker's compensation benefits.
"It feels like they let me throw my body out there to make plenty of money, and once I couldn't do it anymore, they just said goodbye," said Bonham, 29, adding that he suffered most of his injuries falling from horses.The Algonquin resident seeks more than $75,000 in a lawsuit filed last week that also contends his former employer violated the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing to provide him with another job--anything that didn't involve riding a horse.
In a way, many workers in Florida are knights in combat almost daily. I think of police officers, construction workers, bridge builders, football players and others. The fact that a job requires a significant physical effort and, therefore, a significant risk of injury does not allow an employer to just move on to the next healthy body. There are legal obligations to the injured worker. These arise under the workers' compensation statute, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws.