When a worker is killed in an accident at the workplace, the situation will inevitably be traumatic for members of his or her family. Not only is the family robbed of their livelihood, but they also go through a difficult emotional phase. If the worker underwent treatment before succumbing to the injuries, there may be medical expenses to address as well. An employer of workers affected by an  Illinois construction site injury  may be required to pay workers’ compensation for employees injured or other expenses in the event of a fatality on the premises.

Recently, an Illinois worker for a vehicle signaling device manufacturer was killed after being caught in a press. After the accident happened, the worker was airlifted to Swedish-American Hospital in Belvidere, but he succumbed to his traumatic injuries the following morning.

An official from the Department of Labor has been sent to investigate whether the plant followed all Occupational Health and Safety Administration guidelines regarding worker safety. Investigations are still ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, the people involved will have a better idea about how the accident happened.

Given the circumstances of the accident, family members of the deceased worker may be able to successfully claim and recover workers’ compensation from the employer. If the investigation reveals culpability on the employer’s part – such as infringement of OSHA rules by insufficient employee training in the use of dangerous tools such as a metal press – even stronger penalties can be imposed on the employer. It is very important for the work environment to be safe and trustworthy. Employees need to be able to trust that if something does happen, there is compensation available to help that person until they are well enough to return to work and to full earning capacity.

Source:  RRSTAR.com, “ 21-year-old man dead after Belvidere supplier accident ,” Ben Stanley and Jeff Kolkey, June 11, 2014