Certain jobs in Ohio are considered to be more risky than others. Even with that knowledge, no workers think that they are going to head to work and not return home. The same holds true for the workers' families. Unfortunately, a fatal workplace accident can happen at any time and it does not always occur in jobs that are thought to be inherently dangerous. When there is a fatal accident, those who have been affected need to know what to do in the aftermath.
Recently, a man working in a marble and granite warehouse was killed when granite slabs fell on him. The accident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. Other workers tried unsuccessfully to remove the slabs from on top of their 33-year-old co-worker. Emergency services were called and informed of the accident. Eventually, other workers freed the man before ambulances and law enforcement arrived on the scene. The man was taken to the hospital and then flown to another medical center where he was declared dead. Another worker was also hit by a falling slab, but was uninjured. An investigation is underway to determine what happened. There have been no recorded violations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration linked to the business.
While a loss of a loved one will have an obvious emotional impact on the family left behind, there are also financial and personal matters that must be considered as the family tries to pick up the pieces. When a fatality happens at work, there's a significant likelihood that the person who was killed contributed to the household payments and other expenses. In addition, the family will be without a parent, a sibling or a working-age offspring. Given the litany of issues that will inevitably crop up after a fatal workplace accident, it is imperative that those affected understand how to move forward to be compensated.
In this incident, a man was crushed by a granite slab and died. Because this happened while he was working, there will be an investigation by authorities, including OSHA. That, however, will not be an investigation with the interests of the victim's family first and foremost. For that, the family should speak to an attorney to have an investigation conducted for a potential wrongful death legal filing to receive compensation.
Source: Cleveland.com, "Lakewood man crushed to death by granite slabs in Westlake workplace accident," Patrick Cooley, Dec. 18, 2015
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