Colorado readers might have read of the terrible construction accident at the Department of Transportation in another state. This tragic occurrence resulted in one fatality and serious injuries. The workplace accident pinned three people underneath trailers that were used on site. The trailers were being used as temporary office space and the three people trapped were working in their proximity. One managed to escape with only minor injuries.
Colorado readers will note that there is no indication specifically what the three employees were doing in the area around the trailer except that they were working. After the construction accident, a call was placed to 911 where emergency crews had to use a crane to extricate the men from underneath. The surviving worker who was not able to escape was taken to the hospital after the crane was used to get him out. It is not clear what specific injuries were suffered, but they were not life-threatening.
The construction accident is currently under investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the state Department of Industrial Accidents. There has been no statement regarding the cause of this accident. The three men involved in the accident were employed by an independent construction company working on site.
The man who was killed in the construction accident leaves behind survivors. There is no indication if his family is eligible for any type of workers’ compensation payment from his employer. Colorado readers would likely agree that it would certainly be their right to explore all of their possible legal options in this matter.
If the two injured men are eligible workers, they could file a workers’ compensation claim with their employers should they choose to do so. It would require that they prove that they were injured in the construction accident in the course of their normal duties. While filing a claim does not guarantee it will be granted, it would be the first necessary step to getting the compensation that they deserve.
Source: masslive.com, “1 dead, another injured after construction accident at Massachusetts Department of Transportation facility in Northampton,” Fred Contrada, April 18, 2013