There are a variety of different types of professions in California and across the United States. Regardless of a person’s job, it’s typical to face some risk of injury while completing job-related activities. Unfortunately, reports indicate that two men in another state recently lost their lives in a workplace accident.
Police say they were called to Stone Warehouse at approximately 2:30 p.m. on a day in September. When they and other first responders arrived, they reportedly discovered two employees who had been crushed by several slabs of granite. They died at the scene.
Though authorities have not released the identities of the victim, a co-worker says that they victims were a 60-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The co-worker states that he heard a loud boom while the men were using a crane; he says he called their names, but no one answered. The slabs, of which several are believed to have fallen on the men, reportedly weigh approximately 1,000 pounds each.
The local police are conducting an investigation; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration typically also investigates following a fatal workplace accident such as this. In the meantime, the families of the two victims are left to cope with the news of the unexpected death of a loved one. While it will not help them with the emotional implications of the tragedy, states, including California, require that employers provide workers’ compensation insurance benefits for the employees in the event of an incident such as this. In the event of a fatality, these benefits can cover funeral expenses and extend to certain immediate family members. An attorney with experience with the process can help guide the grieving families through their search for a fair settlement.