Workplace accidents can leave Maryland families without income

Securing a job with a contractor providing steady work can be a blessing for many. This type of employment usually provides stability and often includes a lucrative benefits package. For families trying to support themselves during rough financial times, construction jobs offer a means to put food on the table, shoes on the children’s feet and keep the lights on. With the stability of a construction career also comes the risk of workplace accidents due to heavy equipment, human error or acts of nature. When an injuries occurs, workers’ compensation helps to cover Maryland victims and their families.

A call came in to authorities around 10:30 a.m., requesting assistance with a collapsed trench at a worksite in another state. A four-man crew was in a trench, and one worker was buried and unresponsive. Upon arrival on the scene, rescue workers discovered that 16 to 20 tons of dirt had shifted and collapsed into the 10-foot-deep trench where the man was putting in an underground line. The rescue team was shown where the man was and marked the location to begin rescue efforts.

Emergency crews used heavy equipment and then began to dig by hand until it was deemed the worker could no longer be alive. The construction worker’s body was recovered around 3:45 p.m. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators were on scene and continue to look into the tragic accident.

Suffering from a work-related injury can leave the victim and his or her family with medical bills and loss of income. The Maryland workers’ compensation program is in place to provide financial assistance to those injured in workplace accidents. Death benefits are typically payable to the surviving family of a worker who is killed while on the job. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can aid injured employees and their families to file claims for benefits.

Source: kwch.com, “Man dies after trench collapse in Bel Aire”, Dec. 20, 2017