Family of Maryland man may qualify for workers’ compensation

Most counselors will state that there are specific stages of grief. However, the overwhelming shock and disbelief upon first learning of a loved one’s death, especially an unexpected death, is often debilitating. In addition to managing their grief, loved ones also have to wonder about their financial future, especially if the family member was the primary wage earner for the family. If the death occurs as a result of a workplace injury, however, the family is likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The family of a Maryland likely qualifies for such compensation after a workplace accident resulted in the death of a man.

In late September, a 62-year-old employee of Austin & Bednash Construction Inc. was working at a construction site for a new development. According to reports, the employee was digging a trench for a sewer line with an excavator. He stopped digging in order to inspect the work he had completed. As he did so, the ground collapsed, and he fell into a 6-foot hole.

Initially, the man was standing in approximately three feet of dirt according to the reports of a witness. However, the witness left the scene to call 911, and when he returned, the man was completely covered in dirt. Ground conditions at the time complicated the hazardous situation. Although rescue crews arrived within minutes, the man was declared dead when workers were able to reach the upper portion of his body.

As a result of the incident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will likely conduct an investigation in order to determine if there were any violations that led to the accident. However, while important to preventing future incidents, the family of the Maryland man will be wondering how to cope with funeral expenses and the loss of the man’s income. Some people have found the process to obtaining workers’ compensation is confusing and complicate and found additional assistance helpful to ensure they receive all the compensation to which they are entitled in a timely manner.

Source: delawareonline.com, Maryland man killed in Middletown trench collapse, Esteban Parra, Sept. 24, 2013