The family of a 51-year-old man is in mourning following a fatal accident at his work. The construction worker was killed when a 55-gallon drum hit him. A witness has said that this was not the only time that he saw the construction company lifting heavy things with the crane; he described the construction project as incredibly dangerous.
Had this fatal construction accident happened in Colorado, there is very little doubt that his family would be able to claim death and dependency benefits. By consulting a workers’ compensation attorney, they would be able to apply for these very important benefits. As workers’ compensation benefits can be difficult to apply for, especially for a grieving family that would rather not be bothered by administrative work, an attorney to lean on can be crucial.
It is still somewhat unclear what caused the accident. The man was working at a construction site on a river barge, putting together materials for a bridge when the drum hit him. It is unknown if the crane carrying the container dropped it on the man or if the crane operator simply had not checked the crane’s path before moving the drum. Regardless, the man was struck and died at the scene.
Although there were members of the U.S. Coast Guard present, one of whom performed CPR on the man, they were unable to revive him.
The construction company for which the man was working is in a hurry to finish the bridge project, as it will receive a financial incentive for finishing early. It is remains to be seen if this drive to finish early has lessened safety at the work site.
Source: Fox 2 St. Louis, “Worker Killed in Blanchette Bridge Construction Accident,” June 10, 2013
