A man from the northern part of our state, who gave of his time to coach lacrosse and referee soccer games for a nearby school system, has suffered critical injuries because of a work-related accident. As of the latest report, the man was able to breathe with the help of a machine, but was comatose, suggesting he may have suffered a severe brain injury.
Initial reports were that the man fell about 20 feet from a conveyor. He was working at a lumberyard at the time of the accident, and rescuers transported him to a hospital in Duluth.
Officials with Minnesota OSHA were investigating the accident. The point of the investigation will be to determine whether any relevant safety regulations that may have prevented the accident were violated.
Given the description of the man’s injuries, it is fairly evident that he and his loved ones have a long road of recovery ahead of them. He likely has already incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, and, depending on how his condition improves, may require ongoing care and rehabilitation for years, if not for the rest of his life.
Additionally, the man is obviously unable to work right now and, with his severe injuries, may not be able to work again. He will likely need some income to replace his lost wages.
While money cannot undo this tragic workplace accident, getting benefits through our state’s workers’ compensation program could go a long way toward making sure the man and his loved ones have some financial stability and can continue to provide the treatment that the man needs. Having an experienced work accident attorney help the victim or his family through the process of obtaining benefits can be an important step in this respect.