When questioned about potentially dangerous jobs, most people in Pennsylvania automatically think of police officers or firefighters. However, all jobs hold some degree of risk -- especially jobs that require a worker to come into an unfamiliar workplace to complete job-related tasks. Unfortunately, if proper warnings regarding known hazards are not given, workers could face serious harm. For example, an out-of-state woman has recently filed a lawsuit over a fatal workplace accident that took the life of her husband.
The man was reportedly a vent hood technician in June 2015. At the time of the accident that resulted in his death, he was reportedly cleaning vents over fryers at a Publix. The recently filed lawsuit claims that the man was standing on a cover on the fryers -- described as thin and metal -- over hot cooking oil, unaware of any hazard.
Unfortunately, the cover reportedly shifted unexpectedly, causing the man's left leg to fall into the hot oil. He suffered severe burns as a result of the incident. Reports indicate that he died as a result of his injuries just over a week after the accident happened.
All states -- including Pennsylvania -- have laws requiring employers to provide workers' compensation insurance benefits for their employees in the event of an accident such as this. However, in some cases, it may also be appropriate to pursue damages from a third party if that party -- in this case potentially the grocery store -- may have contributed to that worker's death. An attorney with experience with cases involving a fatal workplace accident can help surviving family members with the workers' comp process as well as identify all responsible parties.
Source: wsls.com, "Woman sues Publix over husband's death after fall into fryer", Bedford, June 15, 2017
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