The loss of a family member is a devastating experience that typically causes a number of hardships. In cases where the family breadwinner loses his or her life, the surviving family will face a future without that residual income. While nothing can undo the loss, the California workers' compensation insurance fund aims to provide financial aid in the form of survivor benefits to the dependents of the victim of an accident on the job.
Can I claim for pain and suffering after a workplace injury?
The benefits paid by California workers' compensation insurance funds are based on a "no-fault" system, meaning that an injured worker does not have to prove anybody at fault. After a workplace injury, regardless of whose fault it was, the insurance fund will commonly compensate the worker for medical expenses incurred, along with lost wages -- calculated according to last salary earned. No additional damages will be covered, which means that pain and suffering is not compensable through the workers' comp system.
Workers' injuries blamed on trench collapse, 2 dead
Company owners in California have a duty to provide safe workplace surroundings for all their workers. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration prescribes strict safety regulations, and employers who fail to comply with these regulations may be unable to avoid workers' injuries. One situation that could be especially hazardous is sending workers into unsupported trenches.
How can workers' injuries in crane accidents be avoided?
Following up on our blog post about a deadly crane accident on October 3 (OSHA finds fatal crane accident on the job was avoidable), California workers may be interested to learn how such accidents can be avoided. Employers are typically responsible for the safety of their workforce and preventing workers' injuries. However, employees may benefit from understanding the potential hazards and the importance of being fully aware of their surroundings at all times.
OSHA finds fatal crane accident on the job was avoidable
The devastation California families experience when a loved one dies in a workplace accident will naturally be exacerbated by the knowledge that their death could have been avoided if proper safety measures had been taken. Two families in another state have to cope without their loved ones after an avoidable accident on the job that occurred in April. A recently completed accident investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) determined that the company is to blame for the deaths of the two workers.
