Ohio emergency responders were called to an aluminum manufacturer following a manufacturing accident. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident which claimed one worker's life and seriously injured another.
A large metal rack the men were moving, which was stacked with aluminum piping and sheets, fell off its track, and both men were pinned beneath sheet metal. A 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene from his injuries. The other worker was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Injuries that occur at work are eligible for workers' compensation; however, the caps for the amounts may not be enough to cover the expenses due to the injury or wrongful death. There are additional compensation options if the negligence was on the part of another employee or on the employer. OSHA regulations are in place, requiring employers to take certain steps to prevent injuries in the workplace. However, other human errors can cause workers to be injured.
In a case like this one, if there was negligence on the part of one of the other employees assisting with the task, the man who was seriously injured may be able to pursue a personal injury claim to compensate his injuries on top of workers' compensation.
Attorneys who specialize in employee injuries can present various options to workers in difficult cases like these. Injuries can permanently change the lives of the individuals and families affected and lost wages and medical bills can create a challenging financial situation. Pursuing compensation is not an admittance of inability, but rather a way to recoup some of what was lost.
Source: Vindy, "Accident at aluminum manufacturer kills 1," Nov. 1, 2012
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