Job related deaths on the rise

Job related deaths on the rise

5,250 workers died on the job in the U.S. in 2018, the latest year for which statistics are available, according to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is a 2% increase over 2017.

In Alabama, 89 workers lost their lives in a job-related accident, and increase of approximately 8%. The largest number of Alabamians who lost their lives at work since this number has been tracked (1992) was 155 in 1996; the lowest was 70 in 2009.

In Alabama, if an on the job injury causes, or is a causative factor, in the death of a worker, and the death occurs within 3 years of the date of the workplace injury (although this date may be tolled by payment of disability compensation while the worker was still alive), then dependents of the deceased worker are entitled to certain death benefits. Beneficiaries are those who were totally dependent upon the decedent, or partially dependent upon them for support. Death benefits are payable over 500 weeks absent an agreed to lump sum settlement.

Moreover, if your injury was caused by another person, or by the willful actions of the decedent’s employer (e.g. removing a safety device from a machine), you may also be entitled to additional compensation from the negligent party. That would be a personal injury claim, known as a third-party claim in workers compensation.

If you family has been devastated by the death of a loved one due to a work accident-there is not enough money in the world to make up for your loss, but fair compensation can help you and your family through the tough times you will be facing, and it can also force the wrong party to make serious changes that will help prevent other families from going through the same heartbreak.

If you have been affected by a workplace fatality and your have questions about your rights, don’t hesitate to contact and speak with one of the experienced Alabama Workers Compensation Lawyers at Powell and Denny today.

Powell and Denny: We Work When You Can’t

Offices in Birmingham, AL and Huntsville, AL

Alabama Workers Compensation Attorneys
Birmingham Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
Huntsville Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Powell and Denny have been selected as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report for each of the last 6 years, have been selected as one of Birmingham’s Top Lawyers by B-Metro Magazine for the last 3 years, have been selected by The National Advocates as one of the Top 20 Workers’ Compensation Firms (plaintiffs) and Powell and Denny, P.C.-has been selected as one of the “Best of the Best” law firms by The American Registry.

Mr. Denny is AV rated by Martindale Hubbard (the highest rating possible) and Mr. Powell has been rated as Superior by The National Registry

Job related deaths on the rise