Fatalities in the workplace are tragic, especially when they happen close to the holidays. Construction workers’ accidents are often the cause of such fatalities in Illinois and elsewhere. In such cases, family members of those who died may be able to receive workers’ compensation in order to cover costs and lost future wages as a result of the death.
A recent news story detailed the death of a worker just days before Christmas. The incident happened in Michigan, but illustrates clearly how dangerous construction workers’ accidents can be no matter where they occur. According to the local sheriff’s office, one man was killed during a crane accident at a construction site in Ann Arbor. Workers were doing restoration work on a creek in a park when the incident took place.
A 57-year-old man was working at the foot of the crane when he walked behind it. The driver of the crane claims he did not see the individual and backed over him. The man who was run over later died at the hospital. Additional information about the incident was not released.
This tragedy shows how quickly a life can be lost in construction workers’ accidents. Just a few moments of inattention are all it takes to injure or kill another worker, due to the large and heavy equipment often used on the construction site.
When workers are injured or killed on the job, victims and families of victims may be able to collect workers’ compensation. These payments can be very helpful in paying for medical costs and making up for lost wages as a result of the injury or lost life.
Source: Click On Detroit, “1 person seriously hurt in crane accident,” Dec. 20, 2011