When a laborer is injured in Pennsylvania while on the job, that worker is entitled to seek workers' compensation. When someone tragically dies during the course of their job, their family will likely look to file a wrongful death claim so as to receive compensation for the loss of their loved one. Aside from life insurance, families of victims of workplace deaths may also look to find an attorney who can help prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the tragic circumstances were not just an accident, but that a company's negligence may have caused the accident.  

A tragedy took place Monday morning when a 36-year-old man received a traumatic brain injury as a trailer he was working on fell from its hooks and landed on his head. The accident happened at 5 Star International Trucking in Millcreek on Route 8/Wattsburg Road, near Interstate 90 and Headwaters Park, just outside of Erie.

Witnesses say that the man was trapped under the trailer for nearly five minutes before being freed. When an emergency crew did free the man, it was already too late and he was pronounced dead at scene.

Occurrences such as this happen far too often. And far too often they are ruled to be avoidable if the proper safety precautions had initially been met. Especially during the winter months, it is important to stay focused when working with heavy machinery and overhead components. It is also essential that jobsites and companies follow safety protocol so as to avoid circumstances such as this. Police and OSHA will continue to investigate the situation.

Source: YourErie.com, "Industrial Accident at 5 Star Trucking" 30 December 2013