Workers’ compensation possible after fatal incident

There are hidden dangers in all aspects of life — especially in the workplace. While employees can take certain safety precautions, many dangers cannot be completely avoided. As a result, Massachusetts requires employers to provide workers’ compensation insurance coverage in the event workers are injured while completing their job responsibilities.  These benefits will likely be needed after an out-of-state incident killed two men and injured another.

Police say that an employee of SPX Transformer Solutions was working in a transformer one evening in late November when he became unresponsive. Two more workers then entered the transformer. One of them also became unresponsive. Those two employees, a 51-year-old man and a 33-year-old man, died as a result of the incident.

The third victim, a 40-year-old man, is in the intensive care unit. A family friend claims that his oxygen levels were low when he arrived at the hospital, and he is in a medically induced coma. While it is unclear what caused the men’s injuries, officials from SPX claim that they are committed to working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration during its investigation.

While it is important to determine the cause of the incident to protect other employees, the victims — including the surviving family members of the deceased men — are likely facing a long recovery. For the man in the hospital, medical bills can quickly accumulate; an inability to work could further complicate his financial situation. Additionally, the families the the deceased victims must cope with funeral expenses and loss of wages. Workers’ compensation insurance benefits are designed to help those struggling in such a manner. In order to sure fair compensation, many people in Massachusetts seek the guidance of professionals who have experience with the compensation process.

Source: abc11.com, “Two killed, one injured in Goldsboro plant accident“, Dec. 1, 2015