While money is the last thing someone wants to be dealing with or even thinking about after losing a loved one, families are often left to struggle following the death of a family member on the job. However, in some cases, these families may be eligible to receive help financially in the form of workers’ compensation benefits.
According to the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation website, if a worker dies from a job-related injury, his or her family members have less than a year from the date of the incident to pursue any compensation they may be eligible for, including:
- As much as $7,500 towards the cost of the funeral.
- Educational benefits for workers who left behind a husband or wife.
- The maximum compensation allowed under the law for the worker’s surviving dependents.
The maximum amount surviving families may receive in workers’ comp death benefits in Florida, including compensation, funeral costs and educational expenses, is $150,000.
Recently, a Tampa family lost a husband and father in an on-the-job forklift accident, according to WTSP-TV. The 51-year-old man was working the nightshift at Infra-Metals when the incident occurred.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office told WTSP-TV that the victim, who had been working at Infra-Metals for eight years, was operating the forklift at the time of the incident. Reportedly, the accident happened when he used the forklift to move a steel beam and the beam struck a pile of similar beams close by. The force of the collision knocked the forklift back, causing it to drop steel beam it had been carrying. The beam landed on the forklift and crushed the victim’s body.
The man died on the scene. He left behind a wife, eight children and 17 grandchildren. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was in the process of investigating the incident at the time of this report.
Colson Hicks Eidson – Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/forklift-accident-at-tampa-steel-company/16193573/
