Month: July 2016

What Happens If You Die in a Work-Related Accident?

Under New York law, if you are injured on the job, you have a right to seek workers’ compensation benefits to cover lost wages and to pay for medical care. But what happens if you are killed in a work-related accident? Do your dependents have any recourse for loss of support or loss of companionship/consortium? The answer is yes.

Pursuant to New York’s workers’ compensation statute, in the event you die in a job-related incident, a claim can be filed by your spouse, your children or your estate. Furthermore, the parents of a person killed in a work accident may be eligible for what is known as a “no-dependency award” if the deceased had no wife or children. The parents would also be entitled to a certain amount for funeral expenses.