Too often we see employees suffer catastrophic injuries at the workplace. These injuries frequently include neck injuries, ankle injuries, back injuries, brain injuries, and sometimes even death. A Patterson woman was unfortunately one of these worst case scenarios when she was killed on the job after the bed of a dump truck she was working on malfunctioned and fell.
The 35-year-old victim and a co-worker, both employees of a Wayne-based paving company, were filling potholes with asphalt in a Fairfield parking lot when the fatal incident occurred. The victim was working in the space between the frame of the dump truck and the raised bed when it suddenly fell and struck the victim. She was pronounced dead on the scene. It was reported that the truck had been malfunctioning days before the fatal incident occurred.
The Crime Scene Unit of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office assisted Fairfield police officers in conducting their investigation of the incident. An investigator from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded as well.
Workplace related injuries can, among other things, result in massive medical and rehabilitation expenses and loss of income due to the employees inability to return to work. Fortunately, injured workers are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits from their employers.
A dependency situation arises in this context and it is critical to contact the spouse, if there is one, or other relatives regarding taking the next steps. Furthermore, it would be imperative to check on the other workers in the area who witnessed the incident. They too, if they are experiencing psychological residuals from witnessing something so horrific may also receive workers compensation benefits.
It is critical to consult a certified workers compensation law attorney who is well versed in New Jersey Workers compensation law. Additionally, there may also be a third party case and so speed and accuracy in handling these matters is critical as carriers more and more attempt to find ways not to pay.
