Families of workers in North Carolina may be able to relate to the relatives who are mourning the accident of an out-of-state worker recently killed on the job in a workplace injury. The 62-year-old train yard veteran worked for the company where the accident happened for more than half of his life. Not only was the man fatally injured, he also was allegedly skeptical about his safety, and feared such a workplace injury would happen.
The employee was reportedly hanging onto a moving train at the time of his death. The train he was riding on came too close to a set of non-moving vehicles. As a result of the two being dangerously close, the man was crushed between the train and vehicles. An autopsy of the man proved the man, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries on the scene after being crushed to death in between the metal.
Although the company and local law enforcement are doing what they can to attempt to make sure this never happens again, the family may be wondering why such a workplace injury could have happened to begin with. The deceased employee was reportedly unsure of the company’s safety practices and feared that such a workplace injury could happen. His wife claims that he was very frustrated with the company, although it is unknown if he mentioned his concerns to them.
This family was expecting to be celebrating their hard-working loved one’s retirement party in the upcoming fall, but will now sadly be arranging services for the deceased. The family may benefit from knowing that there are legal options they do hold. Survivor’s benefits under the employee’s workers’ compensation may provide proper restitution to the family. Although monetary items can never replace, or take back what was done, it may help in assisting families in North Carolina and elsewhere with the hefty funeral arrangements and other unexpected expenses as a result of a workplace injury.
Source: news-herald.com, Republic Steel worker who died expressed safety concerns, Jon Wysochanski, Feb. 15, 2014
