Fatal Workplace Accident

Employers in Peoria and throughout the state of Arizona have a responsibility to protect their employees from injury and death. In some cases, employers know they are using harmful chemicals in a workplace and fail to notify employees of the risks. Even worse, some companies fail to provide employees with basic protective equipment that could decrease the risk of illness or death due to chemical exposure. Goldfrank’s Toxologic Emergencies lists several types of chemical hazards in the workplace.

Metals

Many people think of metals as harmless substances, but some can cause serious illnesses and may cause death if metal poisoning is not diagnosed as soon as possible. Constant exposure to lead allows this metal to build up in the body, which can cause headache, pain, muscular weakness, high blood pressure, memory loss, abnormal sperm, mood disorders, and miscarriage.

Exposure to cadmium fumes may cause muscle aches, fever, and chills. This metal can also damage the respiratory system, causing chest pain, irritation of the nasal passages, throat irritation, bronchitis, and pulmonary edema. Mercury poisoning can lead to burning, pain, swelling, skin shedding, skin discoloration, fast heartbeat, profuse sweating, and high blood pressure. It can also damage the brain and kidneys.

Industrial Solvents

Industrial solvents such as alcohols, ethers, ketones, acetates, and halogenated compounds can cause a wide range of problems. Exposure can cause acute effects or chronic poisoning depending on the length of exposure. These chemicals are irritating and often affect the entire body, but they may affect just one or two organs.

Pesticides

Horticulturists, landscapers, and even produce workers are at risk for pesticide exposure because they handle flowers, fruits, and vegetables treated with chemicals. Acute effects of pesticide exposure include irritation of the skin, airways, and eyes. Delayed effects occur more than 24 hours after pesticide exposure and may include miscarriage, blood disorders, or impotence.

If your loved one developed medical problems and later died due to industrial chemical exposure, the Peoria wrongful death attorneys of The Breyer Law Offices P.C. can help you seek justice. We have experience working with clients whose lives have been forever changed by someone else’s negligence. Call us at (602) 457-6222 to discuss your case.

A 55-year-old man died recently from injuries sustained in an Arizona workplace accident. On February 16, The Arizona Republic reported that the fatal accident occurred at the Kayenta Mine near Page in northeastern Arizona when the worker was driving a service truck that collided with a tractor and burst into flames. The man killed in the accident reportedly had 30 years of mining experience. It is unclear how the accident occurred or why the diesel fuel in his truck caught fire.

Working in a mine can be extremely risky. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) keeps track of all fatal accidents that take place at mines. According to the MSHA, 48 people were killed in mine accidents in 2010. This is a significant increase from the 30 fatalities in 2008 and the 18 mine accident deaths in 2009.

Arizona workers’ compensation benefits exist to help injured workers and the families of victims who are fatally injured while on-the-job in Arizona. Skilled attorneys make sure that the victims of workplace accidents receive the compensation they deserve. Compensation is available for medical expenses, funeral bills, and lost wages. Sadly, many workers’ compensation claims are denied. In such cases, it is in the best interest of the injured worker or the worker’s family to contact a knowledgeable lawyer, who can advise them on the legal options available to them.

The Arizona workplace wrongful death attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices, P.C. have successfully represented and obtained compensation for numerous families of workers who have been killed while on-the-job. The emotional and financial burdens on a family that has lost their primary breadwinner can be substantial. If you have lost a loved one in a workplace accident in Arizona, please contact us at 602-978-6400 to obtain more information about your legal rights and options.