Nearly two months after an accident claimed her husband’s life, a Minnesota woman has decided to air her concerns. The woman’s husband, who worked for the postal service for many years, was struck and killed by a mail truck in a parking lot at the Brooklyn Park Post Office. As such, she is trying to find out what exactly led to the work-related accident.
Specifically, the former worker’s spouse is taking aim at traffic patterns in the post office’s parking lot. At the time her husband was killed, employees who rode motorcycles to work were forced to cross the path of mail trucks in order to clock in for the day. Unfortunately, her husband was caught off guard while crossing through this path. Were there adequate safety checks in place to protect the safety of workers when the incident occurred?
Witnesses noted that the Minnesota man was struck as a postal truck was backing into a loading dock. The truck’s driver apparently couldn’t see the man. In addition, witnesses noted that the mail trucks don’t have an audible tone to warn that trucks are backing up. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have indicated that an investigation into the safety practices at the Brooklyn Park work site is underway.
In many cases, the survivors of workers who pass away on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In this case, the postal worker was on his way to punch-in for the day, so there might be questions about whether or not the survivors will be eligible for compensation. At the same time, the accident involved a postal service vehicle and was on the post office’s property, which could be important facts in any subsequent claims for compensation.
If injured workers or their loved ones are denied compensation after a workplace accident, then they may wish to speak to a knowledgeable attorney. Workers’ compensation laws are known to be complex, so sound advice can help bring clarity in a time of confusion.
Source: KSTP News, “Widow Raises Questions After Husband Was Run Over at Work,” Beth McDonough, Aug. 9, 2013