Can Families of Fatal Work Accident Victims Get Compensation?

 Posted on October 09, 2024 in Wrongful Death

Every year, the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation releases data about fatal occupational injuries. In 2022, there were 578 work-related deaths in Texas. The transportation and warehousing, construction, natural resources, and mining industries accounted for 386 of those fatalities.

When someone dies from an occupational injury or illness, do their families get compensation? Does workers’ compensation pay, or someone else? Although no amount of money can replace a loved one, an experienced Dallas attorney from Jerry D. Andrews, P.C. can help families recover the compensation they deserve.

What Are Common Fatal Workplace Accidents?

In the annual report mentioned above, some of the most common accidents that led to fatalities include:

• Roadway collisions
• Falls to lower levels
• Exposure to electricity or other harmful substances
• Being struck by equipment or objects
• Caught in running equipment
• Pedestrian vehicle accidents
• Explosions or fires

Work-related illness fatalities are not included in the annual report unless the illness stemmed from an accident. Although many of these incidents involved manual labor occupations, workers in any position can suffer fatal injuries at work. For instance, office employees can slip and fall on freshly mopped floors, sustaining fatal brain injuries. Retail store employees can have pallets of goods on top storeroom shelves fall and crush them, causing fatal spinal cord injuries.

Do Families of Fatal Workplace Accident Victims Get Compensation?

Whether a worker dies immediately due to a job-related illness or injury or later after failed medical treatment, legal beneficiaries can receive death and burial benefits. Texas is the only state that does not require all private employers to have workers’ compensation insurance, but non-subscribers may purchase private insurance coverage that serves a similar purpose.

Sometimes, a third party is responsible for the incident that claimed a worker’s life. In these cases, families may be able to file a wrongful death action against that third party.

Qualifying for compensation does not mean families will get the full amount of benefits they deserve, however. No insurance carrier enjoys paying claims, and most will try to devalue yours. That is why many families turn to an experienced lawyer from Jerry D. Andrews, P.C. for assistance.

How Can a Lawyer Help Families Obtain Compensation?

When you partner with Jerry D. Andrews, P.C., we will first investigate the accident and cause of death, gathering evidence that establishes liability. We will examine all potential avenues of compensation and help you determine how to proceed.

We will communicate with insurers on your behalf and counter any arguments they have to ensure that you get the highest available amount of compensation. That may involve filing multiple claims, but we can handle them simultaneously.

Call Our Dedicated Dallas, TX Workplace Accidents Lawyer

Money cannot take away your pain and grief after the loss of your loved one due to a work-related incident, but it can help you support your family as you deal with putting your lives back together. Call Jerry D. Andrews, P.C. at 214-221-5800 for your free consultation with our skilled Irving, TX wrongful death attorney.