A worker was killed in a construction accident yesterday morning while working on the I-70 bridge improvement project just north of St. Louis. The man died at the scene when a 55-gallon drum fell on him while he was working at the construction staging area on a river barge just downstream of the Blanchette Bridge. The Missouri Department of Transportation is spending $64 million to rebuild the westbound portion of the bridge which carries I-70 over the Missouri River. The man was employed by the construction company contracted to rebuild the bridge.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,609 fatal work injuries occurred in 2011. In 10% of those accidents, death occurred when an employee was struck by an object or equipment. Construction and transportation accidents account for nearly half of all work place fatalities.

Under the Missouri Worker’s Compensation Act, qualifying survivors of employees killed on the job are entitled to receive weekly benefits. An experienced St. Louis personal injury attorney can assist families in obtaining the survivor benefits and compensation they are entitled to under Missouri law.

Should a fatal construction accident be the result of negligence, the victim’s survivors may also have grounds to file a personal injury claim against their loved one’s employer.  The knowledgeable and compassionate St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman are experienced in assisting the families of construction accident victims in obtaining just compensation for the loss of a loved one.