Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Now that spring has arrived in the Pittsburgh area, road crews are out in full force doing work that is difficult to do when the landscape is blanketed in snow and ice. With the increase in road workers out and about, unfortunately, the number of accidents involving these workers often increases.

One such work related accident occurred earlier this week as a man was placing reflective tape on a traffic light located on Route 422. He was in the bucket of a lift truck at the route's intersection with Route 388 when the lift truck was hit by a tractor-trailer. The force of the impact of the crash caused the man to be launched from the bucket. He did not fall to the ground however because he was wearing a safety harness.

In previous posts we have written about numerous Pennsylvania workers who were hurt while working. As those posts have illustrated, throughout the state injured workers may be able to obtain workers' compensation benefits after being injured in a work accident. The workers' compensation guidelines, regarding who is eligible and the compensation for which they may be eligible vary, depending on the size and type of employer.

At times the cases are fairly straightforward. Other times however, the determination can be much more complex. The latter is illustrated in a case currently before the state Supreme Court in Pittsburgh. The case they are currently considering concerns a Pennsylvania state trooper who after being involved in a "suicide by cop" incident, developed post-traumatic stress disorder.

Long after the initial shock of an injury inducing work accident disappears, the healing and rehabilitation continues for the injured worker. An Erie police officer who was injured while working, one evening, last December knows this all too well. The 41-year-old woman was struck by a SUV as she crossed West 26th Street in Erie. At the time of the incident she was providing backup for some of her coworkers.

The police officer was seriously injured in the collision including brain injuries. Immediately following the accident she was taken to UPMC Hamot. There, surgery was performed to reduce the swelling of her brain. To aid her body in the healing process she was then placed in a medically induced coma.

Everyday people go to work to make the money needed to pay for the things they need to get by. While some jobs are more dangerous than others, it is likely that few spend much time contemplating matters related to workplace safety. This is probably due at least in part to the existence of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It aims to ensure safe workplaces and reduce work accidents in part through investigations.

Pennsylvania based business, Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC, was recently cited by OSHA for workplace health standards violations at one of its manufacturing facilities. Five of the citations leveled at the facility, that does stainless-steel component manufacturing, come with proposed fines of $27,000. An additional citation considered to be willful comes with a fine of $55,000.