Pennsylvania workers have the right to seek certain types of financial support in the event they suffer an injury in the workplace. Through a workers’ compensation claim, a person may be able to secure support for medical bills, a portion of lost wages and even assistance with returning to work. In the event a worker dies because of a workplace accident, his or her family may be able to claim death benefits as well.
The importance of workers’ compensation benefits is illustrated in a recent tragic accident. A man died in an on-the-job accident after being run over by a vehicle he was working on. This unfortunate accident took place as the man was replacing a light on the back of the truck. The truck was in park but was still running at the time.
The driver of the truck came out of the shop, got in the truck and began to back up, not realizing there was someone directly behind it still doing maintenance. This is a serious reminder of the importance of workplace safety measures and communication procedures. The family of the deceased may be able to secure workers’ compensation death benefits.
It is always unfortunate and tragic when a person dies in a preventable workplace accident. In their time of grief, families do not have to walk through this process alone, but they can seek the support they need to address their financial concerns brought about by the accident. It may be helpful for these families to learn about their legal options regarding a workers’ compensation claim.