Death on site: workers’ compensation claims may be in order

The death of two construction workers on a site is just one more example of the dangers that are inherent to the job. Although the accident did not happen in Tennessee, the impact of the accident was surely felt by all construction workers across the United States. Apart from shared sadness for colleagues, it may also have created an awareness of the importance of workers’ compensation claims.

The accident happened just before lunch time on a recent Thursday. It is reported that one of the cable straps of a crane snapped. The crane was lifting a generator. When the cable strap broke, the 10-ton generator came crashing down.

The generator crushed one worker and injured another. It took emergency workers hours to remove the body of the deceased. The critically injured worker later died at the medical center where he was taken.

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) officials have conducted an investigation. At least two of the construction companies involved have previously been fined by OHSA in 2009 and 2013 respectively. In 2009, the general construction contractor, who was in charge of the entire project, was also charged for two safety violations and settled a claim by OHSA.

The families who have lost a family member due to unsafe working conditions may opt to file workers’ compensation claims against the employer. Damages awarded in a successful workers’ compensation claim may assist the family of the deceased employee in meeting associated expenses, such as funeral and burial costs, as well as loss of income. Such an award may provide a degree of relief to a bereft family in Tennessee and elsewhere during an understandably difficult time.

Source: newjerseyhills.com, “Construction accident kills two in Hanover Township Thursday“, Feb. 18, 2016