Tuesday afternoon in Prentiss, Mississippi a 20-year-old man died after touching a livewire while inspecting power poles.
The victim, identified as Jayton Stahlhut, was a contracted worker for the company EXO. The incident occurred when the power company employee was checking utility poles in Prentiss on Ray Street.
Wrongful Death
Unfortunately, wrongful death accidents at work can occur in high-risk situations such as this one.
“Incidents like this are extremely heart-wrenching,” says Letitia Johnson, attorney at Singleton Schreiber, “Stahlhut was young, taken too soon. Our team sends our deepest condolences to his family and urges them to consider contacting a personal injury attorney to learn more about their options.”
There may be many reasons for wrongful death, including:
- Lack of or improper training – it is the responsibility of the hiring company to ensure employees working with or around dangerous electrical equipment are properly trained in safety protocols and understand the risks they are taking.
- Inadequate safety measures – employers must provide the appropriate safety gear for employees for protection, and ensure that safety procedures are strictly followed.
- Equipment failure – equipment that is faulty or has been poorly maintained can create dangerous situations and increase the risk of accidents
- Negligence – this could range from the employer’s failure to provide a safe working environment to not addressing known hazards in a timely manner.
Workplace safety is important, especially in jobs where there are high-risk factors. Employers must be diligent about implementing strict safety standards for the protection of their workers.
In cases such as Stahlhut’s, the family may have legal recourse. Depending on the findings of the investigation they may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit if it is found that negligence was the cause of Stahlhut’s untimely death.
Damages they may be able to recover include:
- Economic damages – these refer to the quantifiable financial losses family members experienced due to the loss of their loved one
- Lost wages and benefits
- Medical expenses
- Funeral and burial expenses
- And more
- Non-economic damages – these refer to intangible losses experienced by surviving family members due to the loss of their loved one
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- And more
If you believe you have lost a loved one in a wrongful death incident, contact the personal injury lawyers at Singleton Schreiber today to learn more about your options. You can call (619) 771-3473 or email info@singletonschreiber.com to schedule a free consultation.