Construction zones abound in California, and working at one can be dangerous. If injured at a work site, a construction worker is likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In the event a worker suffers a fatal work injury, the victim’s family will be entitled to death benefits instead.
One such accident occurred in Contra Costa County on a recent Monday in August. A worker died after he was struck by a truck in the construction zone where he was working. The Avon man was a father of three, according to the police.
The 36-year-old was directing a dump truck when, for reasons that are unclear, the truck struck him. The 56-year-old North Ridgeville man driving the truck worked for the same trucking company. Police have not said whether the driver would be charged, but an investigation into this accident is ongoing.
When a California worker suffers a fatal work injury while at work, his or her dependents will be eligible to receive workers’ compensation death benefits. Examples of dependents that would qualify include the worker’s spouse, his or her children, and any other dependents the worker was financially supporting. Under law, certain members of the worker’s family are automatically classified as total dependents, including any children under the age of 18, children of any age who are mentally or physically incapacitated and are unable to provide for themselves, as well as a spouse who did not earn more than $30,000 during the 12-month period before the worker died. Spouses that made more than this amount may still qualify as a partial dependent.
Source: chronicle.northcoastnow.com, “Victim identified in fatal Avon construction accident“, Jodi Weinberger, Aug. 17, 2016