It is possible to sustain serious injuries at work. These injuries can cause life-threatening and serious injuries that will haunt workers for their entire lives. Sometimes, workplace accidents can prove fatal. Families must deal with the grief of losing a loved one for many years. It is difficult to lose a loved one, even if the accident at work could have been avoided.
Certain industries are more hazardous than others. A lawyer for wrongful death at work may be needed if there is a workplace accident that results in wrongful death. These claims require special knowledge and legal skills. Here are some basic facts about wrongful death at work in Georgia, as well as the industries most likely have such claims.
Georgia: Fatal Work Accidents
In Georgia, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 187 work-related fatalities in 2021. Although this number is lower than in 2020, it still represents 187 deaths from loved ones and their families.
Unexpected loss can make the loss of a loved person even more devastating. This can lead to a sudden loss in income or unexpected expenses, among other things. These more tangible losses can be addressed by a wrongful death lawsuit.
What is a wrongful death claim at work in Georgia?
Workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia do not cover wrongful death claims at work. Workers’ compensation is available when an accident at work is not the employee’s fault. Georgia workers’ compensation law provides some benefits to a worker who dies at work. These benefits are paid to the spouse or heirs of the worker.
Wrongful death claims are made when someone or something other than the employer or coworkers caused the accident that resulted in the fatality. A third party might be required to cause the fatality in order to bring a wrongful-death claim outside of workers’ comp.
Imagine a warehouse worker being killed. An electrician was called in by a third party contractor to repair the electrical short. Because of his actions, the contractor caused the worker’s death. A wrongful death lawsuit against the contractor or his employer may be filed in this situation because he caused the worker to die.
Workers’ compensation benefits may also be available, but a claim for wrongful death against the contractor could also be an option. If a product malfunction or other equipment caused the fatality, wrongful death claims may also be possible.
Georgia’s Industries with the Most Work-related Fatalities
Certain industries are more hazardous than others. There were only 11 workplace deaths in Atlanta between 2020 and 2022. Crushing accidents and falls were the most common causes of fatalities. Below is a summary of the work fatalities in Atlanta from 2020 to 2022, according to OSHA reports.
|
Date |
Description of an Accident |
| 2/15/2020 | Fall from the bridge column |
| 8/04/2020 | Fall when scaffold is tipped over |
| 8/14/2020 | To fall from the roof |
| 8/24/2020 | Between panel form and generator, crushed |
| 9/02/2020 | Falling forklift loads cause injury |
| 9/11/2020 | When concrete truck conveyor came in contact with a power line, it was electrocuted |
| 9/26/2020 | Motor vehicle collision |
| 1/08/2021 | An HVAC unit is used to heat the air |
| 07/7/2021 | A fallen tree limb landed on you |
| 03/15/2022 | A falling staircase can cause you to fall |
| 04/13/2022 | Machine caught in |
Here are the top industries in Georgia that are most likely cause of death at work.
Transportation Accidents
Transportation accidents were responsible for 41% of all fatal work-related injuries in 2021. Transportation-related deaths extend far beyond the transportation industry, although that is where they are the most common.
When someone travels to work, they are exposed to dangerous situations on the road. The U.S. Department of Transportation has some information. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, almost 40,000 people are killed each year in auto accidents. It makes sense then that there is a high risk for anyone who works on the roads.
The industry of “transportation & material moving” was the most fatally involved in workplace accidents in Georgia in 2021. This occupation was responsible for 41 deaths, 32 of them from motor vehicle operators.
Private Construction Injuries and Accidents
In Georgia, the private construction industry had the highest rate of fatal work-related injuries in 2021. These are some of the most common causes of construction fatalities:
- Slips and falls
- Falling from high places
- Equipment or debris that falls
- Unsafe working conditions
- Electrical accidents
- Accidents that are crushed
The fourth leading cause of death in the workplace is falls, slips and trips. A slip or trip is more common in the construction industry, which often places workers at risk of falling and slipping. Additionally, workers who are high up are more susceptible to falling debris or equipment. Falls from heights that could cause death are also more common.
Workers are also exposed to hazardous substances in many construction sites. In Georgia, workplace accidents are most often caused by exposure to hazardous substances and environments. This type of exposure led to 31 deaths in the workplace, including one from the construction industry.
Private Transportation and Warehousing
In Georgia, 33 workplace fatalities were reported in the private transportation and warehouse sector in 2021. Despite this being a decrease in fatalities from 2020, it still ranks among the most dangerous industries in Georgia.
About 36% of the industry’s fatalities were due to freight trucking.
These are the most dangerous jobs in America
The following industries were deemed the most dangerous in the United States during 2021. Each of these industries had a high number of either fatalities or injuries, according to the National Safety Council.
- Construction had the highest number of fatalities.
- The highest proportion of injuries and illnesses that led to days off work occurred in the education and health services.
- The highest number of fatalities per 100,000 workers occurred in agriculture, hunting, fishing and forestry.
- Transport and warehousing were the most common causes of sickness and injuries, with 10,000 workers missing days.
These statistics were affected by COVID-19, so they might be slightly biased compared to historical figures.
Georgia Helpline for Work Fatalities
A lawyer for wrongful death at work is a great resource if you have recently lost a loved. They can help loved ones and families understand their rights after a workplace death. An attorney can help you navigate through difficult times.
The article Industries with the Most Wrongful Dead in Atlanta was originally published on Attorney at Law Magazine.