When someone is injured or killed in an accident, it can devastate a family. It is particularly sad when the person killed is a young and just starting out in life. That is the case of a young Texas man who was killed in an accident at his place of employment. The facts of this incident are still being investigated and the findings in the investigation will be a crucial factor in whether his family decides to file a wrongful death claim.
So far, authorities have reported that the young man was working at a plating factory when a large cylinder fell on him and crushed him. It was his third day at his new job. Co-workers called rescue workers and also immediately attempted to help free the young man, but were unable to move the cylinder. The man was reported dead at the scene.
Co-workers who witnessed the accident told authorities that the young man got too close to the cylinder and when it fell, and he was unable to get out of its way. There are many things that are not known however; for example, why the cylinder fell, who else may have been involved, if there was defective equipment involved, what safety precautions were in place to guard against accidents like this and if the young man had been adequately trained regarding hazardous areas of the plant. These and many more questions will need to be answered in the course of the investigation.
This young man’s family may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under Texas law. However, depending on what answers the investigation yields, the family may be able to file a wrongful death claim as well. While no amount of money can truly compensate his loved ones for this absence, it can make the process of readjustment a little less difficult.
Source: kristv.com, “New Worker Crushed to Death in Industrial Accident,” May 28, 2013
