While some people’s jobs are inherently more dangerous than others, few likely consider the possibility that they will die while completing tasks related to it. Nonetheless, this sadly does happen. The loved ones of a North Carolina Forest Service employee know this all too well. The 31-year-old man died earlier this month.
At the time of the fatal accident, the man, an education ranger who had been employed by the Forest Service for over a decade, was in the process of trying to clear a tree from a road. As he did so, with the assistance of a tractor, the tree snapped, causing it to slam into his chest.
As is usually the case in a fatal workplace accident, officials from Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched an investigation into the matter. That investigation will likely determine whether any safety regulations were breached.
Though it is unclear whether the man had a spouse or children, if he did, in addition to emotional devastation, they could face financial difficulties as well. This would particularly be the case if the man was the main breadwinner. Anyone dependent on him might be unsure as to how they will get by financially. Accordingly, they could file a lawsuit against anyone deemed negligent, to recover financial compensation.
Wrongful death lawsuits are rarely easy to go through. As a result it is important that anyone who chooses to pursue one does so with the assistance of a lawyer they he or she trusts and feels confident in. This could go a long way toward easing the pain.
Source: WSOC TV, “NC Forest Service employee dies in tree accident,” Dave Faherty, Aug. 13, 2014