According to the Los Angeles Times, a worker died at a Lake Forest construction site while working for Empire Grading on a grading project for tract homes. The worker was killed when a 17-foot-deep trench collapsed.
The accident is still currently under investigation—it is not clear whether the worker fell into the trench or if he was working as a spotter in the trench at the time of the collapse. The fire department arrived at the scene and used an industrial vacuum and buckets to remove to collapsed dirt and find the body.
When a person is killed while working, their family may be able to make a worker’s compensation claim. Most workers are covered by workers compensation for on the job injuries, and if an injury causes death, like in this case, the family members of the person who died may be able to get certain applicable benefits. These benefits provide compensation for surviving dependents when the work injury causes death.
However, anytime a Southern California work accident causes death, it is important to speak with an experienced wrongful death attorney to see if there is any potential liability against any third parties for contributing to the cause of the accident. For example, in this case, if workers from another company were negligent, or if they failed to make sure the construction project was done safely, they could be liable to the deceased workers family. If a third party is responsible for the wrongful death, the family members can file a wrongful death claim as there may be more of a financial recovery available to compensate the worker’s family for their loss.
If someone you love has been hurt or killed while at work, you may have a workers’ compensation claim and/or a claim against another party (a third-party wrongful death claim). If so, then you should immediately discuss this with an experienced attorney. The skilled attorneys at Walch Law can examine the details of your case and help make sure you get the compensation you deserve for your loss.