Workplace accidents: 1 dead, 1 hurt in construction tragedy

Construction accidents in Maryland and elsewhere can arise from a variety of sources. Falls, dropped tools, cranes, overhead power lines, motor vehicles, scaffolding, as well as the use of heavy machinery and equipment are among the most common sources of workplace accidents. However, other dangers such as confined spaces, carbon monoxide, trench cave-ins and improper training can also lead to serious and, sometimes, fatal injuries.

Two out-of-state workers were recently involved in a serious construction accident. The accident occurred on a recent Wednesday afternoon in February. Both workers were rushed to a local hospital where one later died while the other was treated and released.

Miami rescue officials were called to the scene of the accident at a Metromover car around 1 a.m. According to the Captain of the Miami Department of Fire-Rescue, a 43-year-old worker and a 37-year-old worker had been in an elevated bucket boom at a construction site when the rail car slammed into the bucket. Although both workers were wearing the proper safety equipment when the accident occurred, both were ejected from the bucket — one was left dangling while the other plummeted to the ground. The second man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

When a fatal workplace accidents occur, the workers’ compensation program in the state of Maryland typically provides death benefits to immediate family members. The purpose is to compensate dependent family members for the loss of financial support and also to help ameliorate some of the end-of-life expenses that are typically incurred by a decedent’s family, including burial costs. It is typical to consult an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to assist with this process.

Source: local10.com, “1 killed, 1 injured in downtown Miami construction accident“, Erica Rakow, Terrell Forney, Feb. 8, 2017