New York workers whose jobs involve transportation face a heightened risk of death and injury while at work. Data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the 2016 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries revealed the most dangerous occupations nationwide and the sources of danger. In 2016, transportation-related accidents were the top cause of fatal incidents across industries and accounted for 40 percent of workplace deaths. During that year, 632 truck drivers, 116 farmers and 62 landscapers had deaths attributed to transportation.
Workplace violence emerged as the second leading cause of death, exceeding even slips, trips and falls. A professor of criminology explained that killing sprees by disgruntled employees did not end as many lives as crimes like robberies and assaults by customers.
Overall, people in the logging industry faced the greatest risk of injury and death. The rate of death calculated for every 100,000 full-time workers in logging equaled 135.9. The fishing industry held the No. 2 spot for fatal workplace accidents with a deadly accident rate of 86 per 100,000. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers experienced the third highest rate of worker death at 55.5 per 100,000.
A surviving family member of a person killed at work might be eligible for a death benefit through the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Those who want to obtain compensation could seek the representation of an attorney. Legal support may help streamline the filing process. An attorney could strive to meet all documentation requirements for an insurance claim. In extreme cases of negligence, the lawyer could help file a lawsuit to hold an insurer responsible for its contractual obligations.
