Working in construction which involves large equipment and heavy machinery can be a dangerous job. Unfortunately, construction related accidents are quite common. Recently, an “equipment collapse” at the Los Angeles Airport resulted in the wrongful death of a worker.

ABC 7 News reported that the collapse occurred just before 6 a.m. while the crew was working on a site that is part of the airports massive “Automated People Mover project.” Though emergency personnel responded to the incident, the worker died at the scene. Work on the project was stopped for two days to allow for an investigation into what caused the equipment collapse. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will also investigate the incident to see if there were safety violations that may have caused the collapse.

When an accident that results in a wrongful death of an individual occurs at a worksite, it is very important that a thorough investigation is conducted. The results of this investigation may reveal that the equipment was faulty or that conditions of the work site were unsafe. This can be helpful if the family members of the wrongful death victim choose to bring a wrongful death case against their loved one's employer.

If you have lost a loved one due to a workplace accident, it is important to get in touch with an excellent Los Angeles wrongful death attorney. An experienced wrongful death attorney will be able to counsel you as to how you should move forward with obtaining compensation for the loss of your loved one. This financial recovery can be obtained in a couple of different ways including a worker's compensation claim or a wrongful death suit against the employer.

• Workers Compensation Claims: In California, a family is often entitled to death benefits if their loved one dies in a workplace accident. How much a family is entitled to depends on how many dependents the worker had and what caused the workplace accident. These claims do not require proving negligence, but do have caps on the amount of recovery available and require you to waive your right to bring a wrongful death claim against the employer for damages other than financial losses.

• Wrongful Death Claims: A wrongful death claim can be brought by the family members of the victim of the workplace accident. In a wrongful death case, the family can show that the employer's negligence resulted in the death of their loved one. The family may be able to get greater recovery as they can get financial damages not only for their economic losses (medical bills, funeral expenses, lost earnings and earning capacity) but also for their non-economic damages such as their pain and suffering, loss of partnership, or loss of quality of life.

Simply put, if you have lost a loved one in a workplace accident, you deserve to be compensated. Understanding which type of claim is best in your situation can be difficult, but talking to a knowledgeable Los Angeles wrongful death attorney can help. The skilled attorneys at the Kann California Law Group understand that while no amount of money can ever replace your loss, a worker's comp or wrongful death claim can help you feel financial security as you face the future. We can talk about your options in a free case consultation--contact us today at 888-744-7730 or through our secure and confidential online contact form.