A 50-year-old man died after a workplace incident at Bill Collins Ford dealership in Louisville. Deputy Coroner Jim Wesley said the man died January 6, 2014 while sitting at his desk in the service department. Norman Kiper of Frankfort was pinned by a vehicle driven by another employee. The vehicle, which was equipped for a disabled driver, accidentally hit the accelerator and struck Kiper from behind. Kiper was taken to University Hospital where he was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later. According to Wesley, Kiper died of multiple blunt force injuries.
Related: What If I Can’t Work After My Accident?
Statistics
- According to results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), a preliminary total of 4,383 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2012. This preliminary data was considered the second lowest preliminary total since CFOI was first conducted in 1992.
- More fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents than from any other event in the 2012 preliminary data.
- During the same year, fatal work injuries involving workers under 16-years-old reached 19. That was the highest total since 2005. However, in the other age groups, fatal work injuries declined.
The law
KRS 342.610 states that, “Every employer subject to this chapter shall be liable for compensation for injury, occupational disease or death without regard to fault as a cause of the injury, occupational disease or death.” The law states that if an employee’s death happened within four years of a work-related injury, a lump sum payment is made to the employee’s estate including burial expenses. This amount of payment changes annually. Likewise, the surviving spouse and certain dependents are entitled to income benefits.
Related: Recovering Lost Wages After A Kentucky Accident
An employer is legally responsible for the cost of accidents involving their employees. On-the-job crashes, for instance, may incur costs of more than $24,500 per property damage crash and $150,000 per injury crash. If there have been deaths, costs would be greater.
As a Kentucky Personal Injury Attorney, I would like to emphasize that workers have rights. They deserve workers compensation benefits if they are hurt on the job. If you have been injured or hurt at work in Kentucky, it is recommended to consult an attorney to secure the compensation and benefits you deserve.