Many professions come with inherent dangers that even with the best preparations can still result in serious injury or death. It is for this reason that every Louisiana employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, in some cases, injured workers and their families may also be able to seek additional monetary compensation when an employer is grossly negligent in safeguarding its workers.
It could be some time before it is known whether this was the case in the death of a tree trimmer on Oct. 25. He was at least 50 feet above ground working to trim an oak tree that is partially dead. One of the limbs on the large tree broke and the man ended up tangled in the ropes of his safety harness system when he slipped.
According to the Benton police chief, the man was most likely dead as soon as he struck the ground and nothing anyone could have done would have saved his life. The company the man worked for had contracts with utility companies and government entities to clear tree limbs from power lines to reduce the risk of outages in inclement weather. The work is not unusual at this time of year.
An investigation will be conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine whether there were any breakdowns in safety procedures. In the meantime, the man’s family will have to deal with the emotional and financial impact of his death. Under Louisiana law, they may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits to cover certain expenses such as funeral and burial costs. It may be advantageous for this man’s family to seek advice and assistance in this process to ensure they receive all of the benefits to which they are entitled.
Worker's Compensation
Louisiana Man Files Lawsuit After Workplace Injury
Back in February of this year, a construction worker was assigned to a project at a Louisiana hospital. While working at the site, he suffered a serious workplace injury. Recently, he filed a lawsuit against the construction company he was working for at the time he was injured.
While working in the engineering building at the job site, the injured man was tasked with pumping water from the tunnel. As he was doing so, he noticed an electrical cord on the ground. He picked it up and got shocked. According to court documents, he wasn’t sure he was being shocked at first, but knew that he was somehow unable to move.
He then reached out to steady himself and grabbed a ring near the entrance of the tunnel that was made of metal. His hands were allegedly burned when he grabbed the ring. He somehow managed to get outside where he ended up falling to the ground.
People rushed to help the man. His claims indicate that when his gloves were removed, his hands appeared to have “melted” and looked blackened. He was taken to the hospital and remained there while he recovered from his injuries.
Now, the man has accused the Louisiana construction company of not ensuring that any and all known hazards were removed from the work site prior to sending him into the tunnel. The cord was attached to a generator that the worker had not been given any training on, and he claims that his employer failed to warn him of the potential hazard that led to his workplace injury. If the court agrees with the man, then he may be awarded the damages he is seeking including but not limited to lost wages, pain and suffering and medical bills associated with his injury.