Tragic construction accident kills worker
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Construction Workers’ Accidents on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Even at the best work sites, tragic accidents can result in devastating outcomes for workers and their families. A worker who was operating a piece of machinery at an Illinois work site was apparently the victim of this type of construction accident. Unfortunately, he died in the incident. His surviving family members may choose to file for death benefits from the state-regulated workers’ compensation program.
The victim and one co-worker were performing work-related duties at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville when the accident occurred. While driving an equipment vehicle, part of the road that he was traveling on collapsed. As the construction vehicle began to flip, the man did try to escape, but he was ultimately trapped underneath as it fell into a nearby creek.
Emergency responders were called to the scene, but before they arrived, a passing state trooper who was off-duty stopped to help. Both he and his wife administered whatever first aid they could, but it was to no avail. Unfortunately, none of the attempts were able to save his life. Both the university police department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating exactly what led to the accident.
An entire community can be affected by the loss of life in a construction accident, although none may experience more grief than the loved ones closest to a victim. When the victim was also a significant financial contributor to a household, the financial devastation can quickly become overwhelming. Surviving family members might not be aware that death benefits are available in the wake of a loved one’s death in a workplace accident. These benefits can be an invaluable asset to Illinois families, and many find the assistance of an attorney whose practice focuses on workers’ compensation claims helpful in pursuing all available avenues of legal relief.
Source: bnd.com, “O’Fallon man killed in worksite accident at SIUE“, May 29, 2015
