Mines employ many Pittsburgh area residents. Though working at such places may provide a good living they also can be dangerous. Last month, an injury inducing accident occurred in Armstrong County. Two men were hurt in the incident and transported to areas hospitals.

At the time of the work accident the workers were reportedly in the process of handing an air-directing curtain, 400 feet below ground. As they did so, a large rock apparently fell onto the workers. The heavy object left one of the workers with a knee injury and the other with injuries to his back.

While neither of the injuries appears to be too serious, injuries to these particular parts of a person’s body can cause long term problems. This is particularly true when it comes to an injury to a back. Some people experience pain in this part of their body for years following such an incident. While the back injury in this case appears to be minor, the worker could find that it continues to impact his everyday life, making it impossible to continue to work in his current position.

Workers who have been hurt and find themselves in this position may feel overwhelmed and unsure about how they manage their life. In situations where a worker is deemed to have suffered permanent, total disability, that individual may be eligible for long-term workers’ compensation benefits. Because these benefits can be difficult to secure, many find it helpful to work with a lawyer who handles such cases.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Investigators probe accident at Armstrong County's Tracy Lynne Mine,” Michael A. Fuoco, June 26, 2013