Tag Archives: work accident

Industrial accident results in fatal injuries for worker

Kansas residents know that some work environments are, unfortunately, more hazardous than others. Accidents can occur at any type of job, but some occupations put employees at an increased risk of danger than others. Industrial and construction jobs are examples of these types of high-risk work environments, and it is vital that employees in these types of professions, as well as loved ones of these workers, are aware of their legal rights in regards to work-related injuries and deaths.

Tragically, an industrial worker was killed recently at a plant on the east coast. Police pronounced the man dead on the scene after a steel beam weighing 12,000 pounds fell onto the man. The victim’s family was able to identify him following the accident. According to reports from a preliminary investigation, the fatal injury appeared to be caused by a work accident, with no foul play involved. This was the second accident in the area involving an industrial worker within just five days.

The frequency of accidents in these types of professions makes it vital for workers and their families to be aware of the options available should injury or death occur. Even in cases when the employer was not at fault, victims can pursue benefits in the form of workers’ compensation should a workplace injury occur.

This remedy is often sought by injured workers. By filing a workers’ compensation claim, the victim or their families may seek the vital financial resources they need during a troubled time in their lives. Knowing one’s legal rights can help victims pursue the best option available.

Source: boston.com, “Man killed in industrial accident in East Boston,” Derek J. Anderson, Dec. 9, 2013

Kansas rail yard accident leaves worker, family unsure of future

Many seriously injured workers in Kansas might be able to relate with the struggle of a man from a small town near Wichita. His sister described him as an active, “innovation type of guy.” In other words, he isn’t accustomed to sitting still. He owned a bakery for a decade and even operated a theater for a stint.

Then he started working for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, and one night on the rail yard changed everything.

In early July, shortly after 2 a.m., the man fell beneath a train car as he helped other workers get a train ready for departure. The car’s wheels pinned the upper part of his legs against the tracks. For 45 minutes, he remained there in extreme pain and conscious, until workers were finally able to lift the car and get him out.

The work accident has kept him in the hospital ever since, and he and his family aren’t sure of what the future holds.

The community in Wellington, where the man has been an active church member and president of the chamber of commerce, has rallied around him. A special fund was set up at a local bank, and community members organized a bake sale and benefit dinner.

These are all commendable efforts in an injured man’s time of need. His rehabilitation may be long and difficult, and his family has likely considered their options for obtaining workers’ compensation to cover the cost of future medical treatment.

Calculating such costs can be a daunting task, and seriously injured employees would be wise to take the proper legal steps to ensure that the compensation is sufficient to the demands of the injury.

Source: The Wichita Eagle, “Town of Wellington to raise money for railroad worker hurt in accident,” Raymond Howze, Aug. 2, 2013

Kansas ties for 4th among states most dangerous for workers

A recent Allsup study offers some interesting food for thought. For example, based on data gathered from 2011, Kansas came in fourth, tying with six other states, for being the most dangerous for workers.

Data was not available for 9 of the 50 states, but the study did find that, per 100 employees, Kansas had a rate of 0.9 workers who suffered injuries or illnesses that required either a job transfer or a restriction of job duties. To put those numbers in perspective, consider that the national average is 0.7 for such injuries per 100 workers.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the study is that workers with the same types of jobs — oil rigging, auto manufacturing and farming, for instance — were shown to be more likely to get injured in certain states than in others. So how can this be explained?

One reason may simply be environment. For example, a truck driver may be less likely to suffer work-related injuries on the flat and straight highways of Kansas than a truck driver on the curvy and mountainous roads of Virginia.

That isn’t to say that transport industry workers in Kansas don’t suffer their fair share of work-related injuries, but environment may be one reason as to why there is so much variance in injury rates within the same types of work.

Another reason for the disparity may have to do with how different states report work-related injuries.

In any case, Kansas workers who have been injured on the job should be aware of the appropriate course of legal action for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Compensation is not automatic after a work-related injury, and employees may encounter major obstacles in receiving the benefits they need and deserve.

Our Kansas City work accident site is a good resource for learning more about workers’ compensation in our state.

Source: business.time.com, “The Most Dangerous States To Work In America — And The Most Dangerous Jobs To Have In Them,” Gary Belsky, July 23, 2013

Kansas rig accident takes worker’s life, injures another

This blog is meant to shed light on some of the issues and obstacles Kansas workers and their families have to confront after a work-related accident. Injuries arising out of employment can lead to a workers’ compensation claim, but sometimes insurance companies and employers go to great lengths to reduce or deny compensation payments when injured workers need them most. In other cases, a party who isn’t your co-worker or employer may be responsible for the accident, or maybe a defective product caused an injury.

These issues may have to be considered in the investigation of a tragic drilling-site accident that took the life of one worker and sent another to a Wichita hospital.

According to the sheriff’s department in Trego County, a rig worker was severely injured when he was struck by a falling derrick basket. His injuries were so severe that he died at the scene.

The worker who was in the basket when it fell was also hurt, though the nature of his injuries was not reported. He had to be airlifted to a hospital for treatment.

As is routine after a fatal workplace accident, investigators from the Occupational Safety and Heath Administration were called to the scene. An OSHA spokesperson indicated that D & S Casing, based in Kansas, was involved in the investigation, but a news report does not clarify which company or companies may have employed the workers.

It is known, however, that the Oklahoma company Horizontal Well Drillers is in charge of maintaining the rig.

The man who survived the accident and the family of the man who died may be entitled to compensation in one form or another.

If Kansas residents would like to learn more about what to do after a work-related injury or death, our Kansas City work accident pages are there to help.

Source: Upstream, “One worker was killed and another injured at a drilling site in Trego County, north-west Kansas, according to reports,” Luke Johnson, June 27, 2013