It is common sense that, in Minnesota as elsewhere, some types of jobs are more dangerous than others. Whether due to an unsafe working environment, faulty equipment, or simply unfortunate circumstances, workplace accidents usually happen suddenly and without warning: A person is just doing their job one minute and in the next, their life has changed forever.
A recent accident at a steel supply company in Dakota County illustrated how dangerous an industrial workplace can be, sometimes tragically so. Last month a man was killed on the job when a stack of steel pallets that he was loading onto a flatbed trailer became unstable, tipped, and fell onto the victim. Unfortunately, emergency responders pronounced the worker dead at the scene.
While the cause of this particular accident is still under investigation, accidents at the workplace should generally be avoidable. At some point in the series of events that lead up to the accidents there is usually something that should have been fixed or done better – or never have occurred in the first place. For this reason, investigating incidents that occur at a workplace is crucial.
If a worker has been injured or killed on the job, they or their loved ones may be entitled to compensation to help offset the costs of medical treatment, replace lost wages, and to offer remuneration for other losses. Workplace injuries can be complicated because they usually involve the worker’s compensation system, which has its own specific laws and processes. The help of a seasoned lawyer who has experience working on workplace injury cases can help to ensure injured workers and their families receive the compensation to which they are entitled.
Source: CBS Minnesota, “Police: Man crushed to death at South St. Paul business,” Jan. 30, 2018