Getting injured on the job is always a concern, no matter where you work, but do you ever think about how deadly your job – or that of a loved one – might be?
Let’s look at the 10 most dangerous jobs and how a fatality in one of these jobs could potentially lead to a wrongful death lawsuit.
What Are the Most Dangerous Jobs?
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 4,836 fatal work injuries in our country in 2015, an increase of 15 deaths over 2014. Florida accounted for 272 of those total injuries – nearly 6 percent – which was an increase of 44 deaths compared to the previous year.
The most common reasons for work-related fatalities include:
- Transportation incidents;
- Slips, trips, and falls;
- Violence and other injuries by persons or animals;
- Contact with objects and equipment;
- Exposure to harmful substances or environments; and
- Fires and explosions.
While these types of incidents can happen in most jobs and workplaces across the country, there are certain jobs that are more prone to fatal accidents. Here are the 10 most dangerous jobs in ascending order.
- Landscaping supervisors with a fatal injury rate of about 18 per 100,000.
- Electrical power-line workers with a fatal injury rate of about 21 per 100,000.
- Agriculture workers such as farmers, ranchers, and managers with a fatal injury rate of about 22 per 100,000.
- Truck drivers with a fatal injury rate of about 24 per 100,000.
- Structural iron and steel workers with a fatal injury rate of about 30 per 100,000.
- Waste and recycling collectors with a fatal injury rate of about 39 per 100,000.
- Roofers with a fatal injury rate of about 40 per 100,000.
- Flight engineers and aircraft pilots with a fatal injury rate of about 40 per 100,000.
- Fishing industry workers with a fatal injury rate of about 55 per 100,000.
- Loggers with a fatal injury rate of about 132 per 100,000.
Florida employs workers in all of these types of jobs and industries, so if you or a loved one has one of these positions, make sure you’re careful each and every day.
What Happens If a Florida Worker Dies on the Job?
First, regardless of your job, you and your employer should always practice the proper safety rules, regulations, and protocols. Accidents happen, though, and if you or a loved one loses their life, you want to know if you have the right to sue for damages.
According to the Florida wrongful death statute:
“When the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty of any person, including those occurring on navigable waters, and the event would have entitled the person injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued, the person or watercraft that would have been liable in damages if death had not ensued shall be liable for damages.”
Bottom line? If someone had only been injured on the job and would have been able to sue for damages, the same party is also liable in the event the person dies.
If you or a loved one dies while working and it’s caused by negligence or a wrongful act, reach out to an experienced Florida wrongful death attorney to determine the best course of action to make sure your family receives the justice and compensation you deserve.
About the Author:
Lawlor, White & Murphey in 1998. Since 1995, Mr. Lawlor’s trial advocacy and litigation skills, as well as his wide-ranging legal expertise, have provided plaintiffs and their families with a distinct advantage when seeking financial compensation and justice for injuries caused by the negligence of others. Mr. Lawlor is an EAGLE member of the Florida Bar Association and an active member of the American Association for Justice, the Broward County Justice Association, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and several professional associations.