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Fatal accident claims life of mine worker

On Behalf of | Mar 19, 2015 | Wrongful Death

In Roanoke City and across Virginia, many people work in certain physical jobs or types of employment that put them in danger. In any activity there is always the worst-case scenario, but there are jobs that can lead to injury and even death simply due to the proximity of large equipment, heavy objects or traveling at high rates of speed. Be that as it may, the last thing a family member thinks when a loved one walks out the door is that it’s the last time he or she will be seen. Such is the nature of a wrongful death incident: it happens without warning, with terrible consequences.

The mine industry is a large job provider in the state, but that doesn’t eliminate the dangers inherent with the work. This was evident as a mine worker died when a rock is believed to have fallen on him. The man, who was 34-years-old, was found at approximately 5:10 a.m. and declared dead at around 7:45 a.m. The initial investigation indicates that he was conducting an examination prior to the beginning of a shift when the incident occurred. The man had worked at the mine company for two years and was certified as a workplace examiner. There don’t seem to be any witnesses to what happened.

Regardless of the circumstances and the job that the person was doing at the time of the fatal workplace accident, the family left behind will have a lot to consider as they move forward. The person who died at work might have been the main breadwinner in the home leaving the family wondering where the next paycheck will come from. There will be emotional and personal issues to deal with in the aftermath of the unexpected loss of a loved one. While an insurance settlement offer might sound generous, if it was negligence that led to the fatal accident, the employer will also be covering itself and saving money from an expensive litigation.

In this accident, a man was simply doing his job when a rock apparently fell on him in a mine. The family needs to ensure that their interests are protected when that investigation takes place so they can determine what happened and if the company is at fault.

Source: timesnews.net, “Wise County man killed in mine accident,” Stephen Igo, March 16, 2015

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