Workers in Louisiana can be injured or killed in many lines of work. Even those who are in jobs that are automatically labeled as “risky,” such as law enforcement, first responders, construction workers and factory workers, will not expect it. Unfortunately, workplace accidents do occur and some are of sufficient severity that it is a fatal accident. For a variety of reasons, the family of the person who died must have a full investigation into the accident so that they can attempt to lay the foundation for a potential wrongful death legal filing.
According to news reports, a contract worker at a plant that processes poultry was killed in a workplace accident recently. The incident happened in the afternoon when the 40-year-old worker was driving a forklift and it went off the loading dock. He is believed to have jumped from the forklift, but was pinned. Emergency crews were called and the worker was taken to the hospital. He had internal injuries and was declared dead at the hospital. The worker was employed by an outside contractor. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
Those who lose a loved one in a work accident will often be in shock when they receive the call that a wrongful death incident has occurred and they will never see that person again. Organizing a funeral with all its accompanying costs becomes the priority. After that, amid their need to accept that their loved one will never be coming home, will be other practical and emotional matters, such as lost wages, lost companionship and long-term changes to their lives. The investigation into the case is paramount and while OSHA and law enforcement will conduct one of their own, it is wise for families to have an advocate for their own interests look at the case. A lawyer can be vital for the investigation, determining fault and pursuing legal action.
The circumstances of the recent incident are still being determined. It is possible that the forklift was not working correctly. There could have been an issue on the loading dock that led to the man losing control of the forklift. Other factors might have been part of the accident as well. The man’s family may want to take steps to protect themselves in the present and future by speaking to an attorney who is experienced in wrongful death cases so that they can move forward with litigation to recover compensation.
Source: arklatexhomepage.com, “Fatal fork lift accident,” Nancy Cook, March 5, 2018
