Employee walks out of meeting after colleagues kept criticizing their coworker for being slow after a rod hit her in the head on the job

Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor

Sep 8, 2026 3:15 PM EDT

Talk about yikes!

In some industries, you know that you'll have to stop eventually because it's too hard on your body. You can't be a construction worker until you're 80 because your body literally cannot handle it, even if you want to work for that long. The same goes for professional dancers. Some people can dance into their 70s and 80s, but that doesn't mean they can maintain the schedule and routine that Broadway dancers in their 20s and 30s do. It's just not possible.

Changing careers in your 40s because you can no longer do back-breaking work is totally different than getting hurt on the job in a way that nobody could've predicted. If you're a professional basketball player, you know that there's a possibility that you could tear your ACL during a game. If you work in an office, you do not expect that the light fixture in your office is going to fall on your head and break your neck. Both injuries can be life-ruining and devastating, but the latter isn't typical in a sedentary profession.

It's so scary to think that one injury can change the trajectory of your life. An AC unit could fall on your head while you're walking down the street, and you may never be able to work again. You could become dependent on the care of another in the blink of an eye, and there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it! The woman in this story might never be the same again after her accident, and it seems like her coworkers only care that she's a less productive employee. At least one coworker is empathetic toward her.

Young female warehouse worker loading up a pallet truck with boxes — *A worker who suffered an injury on the job.*
*_{Scene is illustrative and does not depict actual individuals or events.}*

Am I the bad guy for walking away during a meeting about helping a co-worker?

so i have a colleague who got into a pretty bad accident at work. since then she has been slowly getting back to work and to be fair, its really frustrating to work with her. but din, she got really badly hurt at work with lasting brain. damage.

so because its been pretty much of a burden to work with her (she is an amazing person, just not to work with anymore) my other colleagues and the office planned a meeting to talk about it. i was like, yeah

sure, lets have a meeting about how we can help her back on her feet and maybe plan something nice for her or a nice gift basket!

Brown wicker basket filled with cosmetic boxes — *A gift basket for an employee who is struggling to adjust back to work.*
_{Licensed media provided as editorial context.}

no way, it was just ranting about her. just straight up bu ying without her being there. MIND YOU, SHE GOT INJURED AT WORK BECAUSE OF A SAFETY HAZARD AT WORK. A CURTAIN ROD DROPPED ON HER HEAD FROM 4 METERS BECAUSE OFFICE WAS TOO LAZY TO FIX

Happy construction team during conference at office — *A group of coworkers criticizes their colleague, who hasn't been the same since she was injured.*
_{Models for explanatory purposes only.}

IT. and now they wanna talk bad about her????? so they took turns talking about how hard it is to work with her and what they could do to make it easier, when it was my turn i already was boiling with anger. i just couldnt say anything. after a while of silence i stood up and

left saying this is not something you do to your coworkers. my manager got angry at me for leaving the meeting. and later my other coworkers got mad for putting them in bad light to my managers. so AITAH???????

Senior_Reaction2974 No. Nta. I'm wondering If everyone working there is aware that the injured co-worker could have sued them.

writing_mm_romance Has an even stronger suit now, considering the manager is allowing a hostile work environment.

Cursd818 ΝΤΑ But make sure you report this to HR. Having that meeting at all was a lawsuit waiting to happen, and you need to be sure you're on the right side of things. Especially given that your employer is already massively at fault for causing her brain damage.

AdAccomplished6870 Do not report this to HR. Independently document, and if possible, have other sympathetic people document, what was said, who was present, and what the tone of the meeting was. If you report to HR, you will suddenly become the problem, and will shortly be fired for trumped up reasons.

pistoffcynic NTA... Your manager and colleagues are a h_les. I hope the person that was injured sues the sh out of your company.

Dipping_My_Toes Unfortunately, this is going to fall under workers compensation and a liability lawsuit is ruled out under those circumstances. It can happen, but the neglect or direct actions of the employer have to be so egregious and outright criminal before you can cross that threshold. Just being lazy jerks who can't bother to do basic repairs on something like a curtain rod is almost certainly not going to make that cut. If OP wants to support their co-worker, they would do well to documen

by those in supervisory or management positions. Providing that information to the worker could help their lawyer show a pattern of intent when they refuse to provide reasonable light duty and try to fire her for not being able to do the job. I spent many years as a work comp adjuster and information like that would have me slapping the insured down and telling them to shut up while I pay out whatever is available and appropriate under the law. I did that any number of times when I caught my emp

Interesting-End1710 ΝΤΑ But the unfortunate side effect of being the only right person in the room is you now know the character of the people in your office and you've made yourself target#2. I hope for good resolution for you OP.

New-Charity-7026 NTA. But everyone else will probably continue to tell themselves and eachother that you are. Add to that the fact that you work in an unsafe office, and your boss is asking you to work with someone who's unable to keep up, rather than properly compensating her for her life-altering injury. You should be working on your resume.

mayfeelthis It's management's job to find accommodations and work that fits her now. Asking for feedback to that end is great, having a vent trashing session is illegal. You did the right thing but also it's not constructive, you could've stayed and started the discussion. I'm Withholding voting cause they were AHs, but you didn't do anything to help the situation - you just pointed out they're AHs and left (meeting them at their level kinda).

Tremenda-Carucha NTA you had every right to walk out of that meeting it was a hostile environment and your reaction was justified I hope you feel empowered knowing you stood up for yourself in a toxic situation.

cka243 You know you're not the ah here, you're just taking the opportunity to pump up your own tires and impress people with your valor or whatever. Get a life.

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