Road construction zones on Missouri highways will always be dangerous areas, despite the many warning signs to alert drivers of the hazards they are approaching. Negligent driving in construction zones threatens the lives of motorists and workers. In 2012, a worker for the Missouri Department of Transportation lost his life in a workplace accident on Interstate 70 when a drunk driver struck him.
Earlier this month, an MoDot night supervisor suffered serious injuries in an accident that occurred on the same stretch of road. An accident report indicates that the worker’s truck was struck head-on by another vehicle just as the worker was leaving the construction zone. He was heading west when an eastbound vehicle unexpectedly appeared in his traffic lane, and the crash could not be avoided.
It is not known whether alcohol may have been involved. An MoDot spokesperson remarked that the worker’s life was likely saved by the fact that he was wearing his safety belt. The media report made no mention of injuries to the wrong-way driver, or any pending or filed charges.
The severity of this Missouri worker’s injuries is not known but may require long-term care. Medical expenses and lost wages can be financially crippling, and benefits claims through the workers’ compensation insurance program may be pursued. Furthermore, if negligence can be proved, the wrong-way driver may be held accountable through civil litigation by means of a personal injury claim. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help any victim of a workplace accident that was caused by a third-party with the navigation of both claims. While medical expenses and lost wages are compensable through the workers’ compensation program, additional relief, including pain and suffering, might be obtained through a successful civil claim.
Source: equipmentworld.com, “MoDOT worker seriously injured in head-on crash with wrong-way driver“, Bobby Atkinson, Dec. 22, 2015