A Rensselaer man and long-time worker with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) lost his life in a construction accident recently when a truck driven by another employee backed over him, according to a recent article in the NWI Times. At the time of his death, the man was 54 years old and had worked for INDOT since 1977.
The man was part of a team working on a project in DeMotte, Indiana when the accident occurred. He was working on construction at the corner of 1400 North and U.S. 231. Around 10 a.m. that morning, a truck that was also being used at the scene backed into the man, knocking him to the ground. Rescue workers rushed the man to Franciscan St. Anthony Health Crown Point, a nearby hospital, but they were unable to save his life. He died approximately one hour after the accident occurred.
Investigators from the Indiana State Police, INDOT, and the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Department (IOSHA) are all looking into what caused the accident.
Most people think of car accidents as a risk of getting to and from work, not a risk while one is working. Yet, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), car accidents and pedestrian accidents are one of the biggest causes of workplace injuries and deaths in the United States. Workers who drive as part of their job or who work near roads, driveways, or parking lots may suffer a car-related accident as part of their work. These accidents may be covered by workers’ compensation, a driver’s insurance, or other funds. An experienced Indiana construction accident lawyer can help you figure out who is responsible for an accident and what compensation you deserve.
A forklift operator working in a food products plant lost his life recently when the floor he was driving a forklift over collapsed, sending him and the forklift plunging into the basement, according to a recent news release from WIBC.
The 50-year-old forklift driver was working at the Royal Food Products plant on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis and was driving an 8,000-pound forklift when the first floor beneath the forklift collapsed. The driver and the forklift fell fourteen feet into the basement, surrounded by debris from the breaking floor. Rescue crews worked for several hours before they were able to brace the hole well enough to descend safely and rescue the driver. Unfortunately, the man did not survive his Indiana on-the-job injuries.
The incident is still under investigation by the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA), and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also plans to investigate the incident. Although the plant has never previously been cited for an OSHA violation, the Indiana Department of Labor may issue a fine if the investigations reveal that the plant was responsible for the Indiana workplace accident.
Indiana workers’ compensation law provides coverage for workers who have been involved in a wide variety of workplace accidents. However, workers’ compensation laws may not be enough to fully compensate an injured worker or their family. If a party other than the hurt employee and his or her employer is partly or completely responsible for the injury, a third-party liability claim may be pursued against the third party. Third parties can be manufacturers of a defective product, contractors, sub-contractors, and others. If you or someone you love has been injured or lost in a workplace accident, an experienced Indiana accident lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options and fight for the best outcome for you and your family.
