Many places of employment in California and across the country are dedicated to safety. Despite this dedication, however, a workplace accident can still happen, leaving an employee struggling both financially and physically. Unfortunately, a worker in another state recently suffered a crush injury while at his place of employment.
The incident reportedly happened during the afternoon hours of a day in May. The victim’s identity was not released in the aftermath of the accident. However, reports indicate that he worked as the maintenance supervisor of Pine Products, a sawmill.
Reports indicate that a piece of heavy equipment known as a debarker fell on the man. As a result, his leg was pinned to the ground; workers were able to free him approximately 5 minutes later. The worker was then transported to the hospital by helicopter for treatment. He reportedly did not lose consciousness following the injury.
Unfortunately, a crush injury can have significant consequences. Many victims require long-term medical interventions, and some are never able to return to work in the same capacity. Because of the potential for accidents such as this, employers are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance benefits that can help injured workers with the expenses of workplace injuries, including medical costs and even the costs of job retraining if they can no longer fulfil their job responsibilities as a result of their injuries. Because victims of workplace accidents may be not be in a condition that would allow them to effectively negotiate with an insurance company, many in California seek the help of an attorney with experience with the process.