No matter a person’s line of work, he or she still could face being injured while on the job. Whether it is an office-related occupation or something with a more physical job requirement, there still could be risks. In some extreme instances, a worker could be killed at his or her workplace.
Some jobs are more prone to injuries and workplace deaths. People who work in construction fields that require heavy machinery and large equipment often are in harm’s way. Utility workers who are forced into dangerous situations, such as climbing high poles or working during adverse weather, also could see more accidents.
In Georgia, one of the main sources of employment is truck driving, which also carries high risk for injury and workplace deaths. Workers can be faced with driving in unpredictable weather and treacherous storms, often on little amounts of sleep, which could lead to accidents with injuries or death.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last month that approximately 4,405 people were killed in the U.S. while on the job in 2013. About 70 of those people were killed while employed in Georgia, which is roughly 30 people less than the 2012 tally, according to the report.
Georgia law requires employers provide worker’s compensation, a state-regulated insurance, to cover the costs of medical expenses and missed work for employees who are injured at work. The insurance also would cover disability if the employee is unable to work.
Worker’s comp is designed to avoid litigation. However, often times worker’s compensation does not pay as much as it should. In other cases, there might be other parties responsible for the injury. In either case, an attorney can help the worker get the compensation the victim deserves.
Survivors and dependents of those who die because of on-the-job accidents or injuries can receive workers’ compensation death benefits through the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
A worker’s dependents will receive two-thirds of his or her average weekly wage or a maximum of $525 per week for a death that occurred on or after July 1, 2013, according to the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
The term dependent is defined as a worker’s surviving spouse, children or dependent stepchildren. A widowed spouse with no children is limited to a total amount of $150,000, unless he or she remarries or co-habitates in a meretricious relationship.
Being injured while in the workplace can be a stressful experience for the victim and his or her family, and losing a loved one to a workplace accident is a nightmare. It is important to know how to seek the appropriate compensation and what steps need to be taken to ensure the victim is represented. An Atlanta personal injury attorney can seek to get the amount of benefits deserved.
