Can a claim for manure pit accident be made if my husband has died after suffocation on a farm?
A claim for manure pit accident which resulted in a fatality is unfortunately one which is made from time to time. Compensation for such a tragic event may be required in order to provide monetary support to the family of the victim of the accident. Before you make a claim you are advised to await the results of the investigation which will surely take place, and determine that your husband’s death occurred as a result of the negligence of another party.
If the investigation into your husband’s death finds that he died because appropriate safety checks were not taken before he entered the pit, you may be entitled to claim compensation. These safety checks can include testing the atmosphere of the pit for a possible deficiency of oxygen and providing audio and visual communication between your husband and the person who supervised the operation which resulted in the fatal accident.
While the initiation of a claim for manure pit accident should wait until the Health Service Executive’s investigation has concluded, it is advisable that you consult a personal injury lawyer at the earliest opportunity. This way you will know in advance the full procedures of claiming compensation for the death of your husband, as well as the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled. It should be noted that once your husband’s employer informs their insurance company of his death, the insurers may directly contact you with an unsolicited offer of compensation, provided that the claim is immediately settled.
It must be remembered that compensation for your husband’s death will come from the insurance company of the employers, not the employers themselves. Your husband’s employers may be aghast that he died as a result of their negligence; the insurance company will simply seek to keep their own expenses down. They may therefore put pressure upon you to accept an offer of compensation which is entirely inappropriate for covering the monetary support lost as a result of the tragedy.
Making a claim for manure pit accident in which a loved one has died is never easy, and it can be an emotionally overwhelming experience. Therefore it is recommended that you consult a personal injury lawyer at the earliest opportunity. Not only can your lawyer recommend a viable course of action for initiating a claim, but can also take charge of what may be a difficult case on your behalf, and ensure that you receive a compensation amount which is appropriate to your loss.