A Wichita worker was performing aluminum finishing work on a large industrial press when an aluminum block suddenly imploded. A piece of the material struck him in the heart, causing a life-threatening injury. Although emergency responders were able to revive him in the ambulance, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
After the accident, his family received $10,000 for funeral expenses and was offered $100,000 in workers’ compensation death benefits from his employer. The family felt the offer did not reflect their circumstances and contacted us for help.
One of the biggest issues was establishing that the worker left behind a spouse, which would qualify him for additional benefits. The couple held themselves out as married and had held a traditional Laotian ceremony, owned a home together, and wore wedding rings, but there were disputes surrounding whether their relationship qualified as a common-law marriage under Kansas law.
“This couple had built a life together. We demanded that their marriage be recognized and that family get paid what they deserved after this tragic and untimely loss,” said lead case Attorney Shelbie Langford.
We worked through those issues and built a case establishing the nature of their relationship and therefore the benefits the family was entitled to pursue. The employer had also provided the worker’s wife with $30,000 as a gesture of support following his death, as several members of the family had ties to the company. Ultimately, we secured a $325,000 settlement + an additional $10,000 for burial costs for the family after the fatal workplace accident in Wichita.
Mike’s Got This! We Prioritize Your Recovery.
The Wichita workers’ compensation attorneys at DM Injury Law will fight for the justice and compensation your family is owed after a tragic accident. We offer free consultations and only get paid if we win your case.
