Worker's Compensation - Occupational Accident Results in Death of Kroger Employee

During the legal career of an experienced Detroit personal injury lawyer, it is common to represent a number of individuals who have sustained severe personal injury or died while on the job. These cases are particularly tragic as often times occupational accidents occur because the utmost attention was not paid to safety regulations and measures. Failure to do so can have devastating consequences, as seen by the recent case of a Kroger employee who died while on the job, stocking groceries.

On March 15th, Lori Keen, 32, was working in the Kroger stock room with a pallet jack, moving large quantities of groceries around. She was taking in a large shipment from a vendor that was using the loading dock of the grocery store when a large and heavy pallet of water bottles fell upon her. According to industry experts, each pallet can carry 72 cases, with 24 water bottles in each. Therefore, as a result of the occupational accident, approximately 1700 water bottles fell on Keen causing serious personal injury. She died this past weekend after her being taken from life support.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 over 5,000 occupational accidents were reported in the United States. However a spokesperson from Kroger, John Elliot, insists that the franchise is doing all that they can to investigate whether safety regulations were violated in this case. “We’re obviously focused on what happened and is there something that needs to be done, is there something we can learn from that incident… but you know we are a very, very safety-conscious company. It is unclear at this time whether the Occupational Health and Safety Administration will also join the investigation.

As seen by the tragic example of Lori Keen, the consequences of occupational accidents can be life-changing and irreversible. When injured on the job, you may be entitled to worker’s compensation benefits that will provide for medical expenses and lost wages. To find out all of your best options, as well as receive the best legal advice and legal representation, it is essential to contact a hard-working and trustworthy Detroit occupational accident lawyer immediately. Doing so can help ensure the most successful outcome for your personal injury claim.