Recently, a 55-year-old pediatrician was on his way to visit a patient at a New York hospital when he was struck by a car. The Mercedes-Benz — driven by a 23-year-old — hit the doctor in a crosswalk outside the hospital very hard, according to witnesses. Following the accident, the doctor was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for his injuries. However, doctors were unable to save the man and he later died. He leaves behind a wife and three children.
This sad case illustrates some important workplace accident points. One, not all workplace accidents happen inside a person’s workplace. In today’s society, many New York workers travel in between numerous locations while on the job. Traveling can be risky and lead to workplace injuries or — as in this case — death. In these cases, workers’ compensation may be available if the worker was hurt in the course of the person’s employment. Therefore, if travel is required as part of their job, then accidents while traveling could qualify for compensation.
Two, this case illustrates that workplace accidents can be very serious. Not all workplace injuries are easy to bounce back from — some will lead to death. In these cases, the worker’s family may be left struggling to meet its financial needs without the worker’s income. In cases where workers are killed on the job, workers’ families may be able to qualify for workers’ compensation. This compensation can help meet the financial gaps caused by the workers death.
In many situations, workplace accidents cause a wave of fear and uncertainty. Workers and their families should make sure they know their legal rights to compensation — even in situations where they think compensation won’t be available, people should still investigate their rights.
Source: New York Post, “Doctor hit by car and killed outside Queens hospital,” Kenneth Garger, Larry Celona and Dana Sauchelli, Dec. 9, 2013