A seemingly routine day at work turned into a deadly tragedy. A 16-year-old employee at a construction job site was tragically killed at work. The Missouri teen was reportedly involved in a crane accident after he was hit by a crane. Authorities do not plan on conducting a criminal investigation into the matter.
The teen was working on a county bridge with other construction workers located on a highway. A witness reportedly observed that a family member of the teen was operating the crane when it started to malfunction. The crane broke apart, and then the boom of the crane hit the teen. Medics were contacted, but when they arrived, the teen was declared dead at the scene.
A safety inspector visited the construction site, but no criminal investigation is expected to be conducted. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed on the teen in the coming days. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Employees who work in the construction field are subjected to the possibility of a crane accident such as this one. The family of the deceased teen is likely grieving their loss and wondering if there is any legal recourse available to them. The family members may have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim on behalf of the teen as an appropriate remedy for their loss. The civil court system in Missouri may award compensation and other damages as deemed appropriate. It is possible that evidence will demonstrate that the employer’s negligence was a causal factor in the tragedy that occurred.
Source: semissourian.com, “Teenage worker killed in crane accident”, Samantha Kluesner, June 18, 2014