Though we don’t usually expect it to be, a day at the office can be dangerous. But that is especially the case if your “office” is a busy highway. Sadly, that was the case recently in O’Fallon, where four workers were seriously injured when a car hit them as they were painting road stripes on the highway.
Two of the injured workers were airlifted to Saint Louis University Hospital while another worker was taken there by ambulance. Sadly, SLU reported that one of the workers — a 38-year-old man from Pocahontas — has died.
A fourth man was transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital and listed in serious condition.
According to a local news report, the men were all on or near a truck-mounted attenuator that was attached to a construction vehicle when the accident occurred. The construction vehicle was parked on the shoulder of Interstate 64, and as the workers went about their duties, a car driven by a 34-year-old man crashed into them.
The driver of the car was transported to Memorial Hospital in Belleville with non-life threatening injuries.
The workers were all employed by the same company, which had been contracted for an Illinois Department of Transportation project. The employees who survived will almost certainly be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, and they will likely also have grounds for personal injury claims. Such a claim can help cover the medical expenses and time off from work that are bound to result from the workers’ injuries.
The family of the deceased man may also consider filing a wrongful death claim against the driver who crashed into the construction vehicle. If authorities determine that the driver of the car is at fault, a wrongful death claim can help the family hold the driver responsible, as well as ensure that the emotional burden of their immense loss is not compounded by financial troubles.
Source: KSDK, “I-64 car accident involves 4 highway workers,” Katie Maassen, May 23, 2012