Job Injury Kills Worker in San Bernardino Water Park

San Bernardino officials have identified the man who suffered a fatal job injury as 55-year-old Raymond Hill, according to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Hill was operating heavy machinery at the Pharoah's Lost Kingdom, an amusement park in Redlands, when he went into cardiac arrest the afternoon of October 12, 2009. Redlands fire officials said Hill had been pulled from under the Bobcat equipment he was working with at the time.

Cal-OSHA Opens Job Injury Investigation

However, California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) officials are investigating this tragic accident because they have received conflicting reports about how or why this fatal on-the-job accident occurred. Those who were working with Hill told officials they became concerned about him when he did not respond to their repeated calls. However, some at the scene told investigators Hill was trapped under the equipments. A few others said he was discovered slumped over the steering wheel. Hill died from his injuries at a local hospital.

I offer my sincere condolences to Hill's family and everyone who knew and loved this man. His loved ones will be in my prayers.

If I were a member of Hill's family, I'd want to find out exactly how this fatal workplace accident occurred. Did Hill suffer the cardiac arrest while he was working or did his getting trapped under the machinery cause the cardiac arrest? It is also not clear whether a defective product or mechanical malfunction was involved. In such cases, it is also important to look into whether the worker was aware of safety standards and procedures and whether he had received sufficient training to operate the heavy machinery. Accidents involving heavy machinery can be devastating and they almost always result in fatal injuries.

An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Hill's family will very likely be covered by his California Workers Compensation benefits. However, these benefits are often not sufficient to cover medical expenses and lost earnings, not to mention the grief and pain of losing a beloved family member. Hill's family would be well-advised to consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all aspects of this accident, keep up with the investigation and make sure all the facts come out.

It would certainly be a good idea in this case to make sure the Bobcat equipment is preserved unaltered so it can be examined by an expert for product defects, mechanical malfunction or other evidence. A skilled personal injury lawyer will also be able to determine whether there is a "third party claim" here. Such claims are usually worth a lot more than worker's compensation benefits and are a vehicle to obtain fair compensation for seriously injured workers and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.