Pursuing Justice For The Injured And Disabled Since 1992

A workplace accident risk is part of every worker’s daily life

Construction and industrial workers in Georgia are typically exposed to dangerous situations whenever they are on duty. The personal injury hazards that workers have to cope with may threaten their ability to continue working and providing for their families. An employer is duty-bound to provide a safe working environment, along with safe equipment and the necessary safety training to prevent a workplace accident.

Two such accidents recently occurred in one township in another state within five days. Police were dispatched to a trash-hauling company on a Thursday, where a worker had been struck and killed by a section of machinery that detached from the equipment. The man died at the scene. Only four days later, police received a call from the same area where a contracting company was digging a hole to house a septic system.

In an attempt to protect themselves from a cave-in, the workers secured the hole with steel panels to prevent dirt from falling into the hole. However, the steel panel that was intended to serve as protection collapsed and fell onto one of the workers in the hole. The man’s leg was trapped, and with the help of the fire department and other emergency workers, the steel panel was removed. The worker was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The above may illustrate the constant hazards to which the workers are exposed. Fortunately, Georgia workers may find comfort in knowing that the workers’ compensation insurance fund is there to compensate a worker who is injured in a workplace accident. Similarly, the families of workers who lose their lives in such accidents may claim benefits from the fund. Benefits typically cover medical and end-of-life expenses, along with lost income and survivor benefits. In addition, injuries that cause disabilities may warrant special long-term benefits.

Source: app.com, “Dad killed in one of two industrial accidents in Freehold“, Margaret F. Bonafide, June 3, 2014

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