Pursuing Justice For The Injured And Disabled Since 1992

Car strikes 2 work zone construction workers — 1 dead, 1 injured

The safety of workers in construction zones on Georgia roads will always be cause for concern. In addition to the hazards posed by the type of work they do and the hazardous equipment they use, construction workers have to keep a constant lookout for negligent drivers. A fatal construction zone incident recently occurred on an Interstate highway in another state.

Reportedly, two workers were struck by a passing car in the late afternoon of a recent Thursday. The workers were about to move a message board in the right northbound lane of the construction zone when they were struck by a vehicle. Both suffered critical injuries.

One of them, a 44-year-old man, succumbed to his injuries at the accident scene. The other man, age 23 was airlifted to a medical center. The vehicle driver was transported to a local hospital, but the details of his injuries were not reported. An investigation into the accident was launched, and traffic was delayed for several hours.

When construction workers in Georgia suffer workplace injuries, the emotional and financial impact can be severe; this may be especially true for surviving family members of workers killed on the job. The workers’ compensation insurance system is designed to help. The state-regulated program offers compensation for medical expenses and lost income to those injured during the course of employment. The dependents of those who lose their lives while working are typically entitled to death benefits to cover end-of-life expenses, along with a financial package to assist the families with financial obligations and living expenses for a designated period following the death. Third party civil claims for personal injury or wrongful death may also be applicable in certain circumstances.

Source: al.com, “Construction worker killed, 1 injured in I-59 wreck near Attalla“, William Thornton, Jan. 7, 2016

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