Logging is a highly hazardous industry that has claimed the lives of many workers in Pennsylvania and other states. A recent incident claimed the life of a 44-year-old logger who suffered a fatal work injury when a falling tree struck him. The on-the-job accident occurred in Fulton County on a recent Monday.
Reportedly, the deceased man and his father were joint owners of the logging company that was felling marked trees not far from Harrisonville. The falling tree struck the man while he was trimming another one that had been cut earlier. His father came across his body as he was driving by in the truck that was hauling the harvested trees.
The logger’s death was pronounced by the county coroner who said blunt force trauma to his head caused the man’s death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the fatal accident. Although it is unsure whether the deceased man was the owner or an employee of the logging company, the federal investigators will examine the logging company’s compliance with safety regulations.
When a work injury causes death in Pennsylvania, the surviving family members are typically entitled to pursue death benefits through the workers’ compensation insurance program. The benefits will cover funeral and burial costs, and it typically includes a wage-replacement package. However, in a case in which an owner or co-owner of a company dies in an on-the-job accident, the type of coverage secured by the business will determine whether benefits will be available The experience of a skilled workers’ compensation attorney may be valuable in such cases.
Source: publicopiniononline.com, “Shippensburg man killed in logging accident: update“, Aug. 31, 2016