A cleaner, employed by a private company in another state, recently suffered serious injuries that were caused by a plane operated by an Ohio based company. The fact that her injury might have been caused by a third-party may allow the victim to claim more than just workers’ compensation benefits. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
A preliminary report indicates that the incident occurred at an international airport in another state. It happened in the early hours of a recent Saturday in one of the maintenance areas at the airport, and not on the runway. Under circumstances yet to be determined, the 54-year-old cleaner was struck by the moving propeller of a CummutAir plane.
CummitAir apparently operates flights on behalf of United Express. The Port Authority and a New Jersey police spokesperson reported that the cleaner suffered serious head trauma. Reportedly, her condition was critical when she was admitted to the hospital.
In Ohio, any victim of a work-related injury may claim workers’ compensation benefits to cover medical expenses and lost wages. However, if it can be proved that the injury was caused by the negligence of an independent third party, the employee may have grounds for a civil personal injury claim, which can be pursued even if a workers’ compensation claim has been filed. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can explain the steps to take to pursue such a claim. This type of legal claim is appropriate when a worker suffers a serious on-the-job injury that was caused by the negligence of someone other than his or her employer or a co-worker.
Source: Miami Herald, “Airport worker struck, seriously injured by moving propeller”, Sept. 2, 2017