It is rare that people are truly prepared for an unexpected death, often leaving family members wondering how they will cope financially and emotionally. In the case of a fatality due to an industrial accident, most states require employers to provide their employees with workers’ compensationcoverage. Such coverage potentially allows a worker, or his or her family in the case of a fatality, to be compensated for expenses resulting from such an accident. One family in California will likely qualify for such coverage after a fatal accident at a middle school construction site.
The accident occurred the day before the middle school was set to open its doors for the new school year. According to reports, the 62-year-old man was on an incline near the track for the middle school. Construction workers were attempting to pave the area.
Unfortunately, reports indicate that the man was hit by a tractor trailer that was backing down the incline. The coroner described the cause of the man’s death as blunt force trauma. The state’s division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will conduct an investigation into the incident to determine if the company violated any health or safety standards that led to the accident. OSHA has up to six months to complete their investigation.
The outcome of the investigation is probably of little immediate concern to the surviving family members of the deceased man. As a result of the industrial accident in California, his family members are likely wondering how they will afford funeral expenses as well as cope with the loss of the man’s wages in the future. While they do likely qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, the process is sometimes complicated. Many people in a similar situation seek additional assistance ensuring that compensation is efficient and appropriate, allowing the family to focus on the grieving process.