Fatal work-related injury may cause hardships in North Carolina

The struggles a family faces after the death of a loved one can severely impact their lives for a considerable amount of time. In some cases, if the deceased loved one provided income for the family, the loss of that income can cause the surviving family to contend with serious financial hardships. A fatal work-related injury typically allows the victim’s surviving family to qualify for workers’ compensation death benefits.

A recent work accident in another state may interest North Carolina residents. Reports stated that a city worker who was helping with a sewer-replacement project was in a trench attending to his work duties. While he was working, the trench collapsed, which resulted in his being seriously injured. It was not noted whether there were any other workers in the trench at the time of the collapse.

The man was transported from the scene in critical condition, but he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. He was declared dead approximately 40 minutes after the collapse occurred. It was unclear whether any safety violations may have contributed to the incident, but the accident was under investigation at the time of the report.

A fatal work-related injury can change the lives of many people in an instant. If North Carolina families are facing financial struggles due to the loss of loved ones killed in work accidents, they may wish to gain more information on workers’ compensation for surviving families. Survivor benefits could help affected and qualifying parties make ends meet in the aftermath of their loved ones’ deaths.

Source: Chicago Tribune, “Water department worker critically injured in Northwest Side trench collapse“, Peter Nickeas, Feb. 13, 2017