Worker Killed in Accident While Installing Cesspool in Suffolk County

A worker was killed in an accident that occurred while he was reportedly installing a cesspool at a house in Shoreham in Suffolk County.

According to local police and fire officials, the 60-year-old man from Northport died after he was trapped underground in a rubble pile. The accident occurred Saturday, November 18.

Officers say the man, along with a team of coworkers, was installing the cesspool directly in front of the house. Emergency responders from Brookhaven were called to the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m. and quickly arrived to provide assistance. However, the man was pronounced dead almost immediately. Police did not disclose the name of the cesspool company.

Options after a fatal workplace accident

If a loved one is killed while working at a construction or job site, your family may have two options: file a workers’ compensation claim or move ahead with a wrongful death lawsuit. You can only file a wrongful death lawsuit if you can prove the accident was the result of negligence on the part of the company or its employees.

For example, if a victim’s family could prove certain safety protocol was not followed or enforced, or the workers were not properly trained in safety protocol for a certain type of work, the company could be considered negligent.

Conversely, families may seek workers’ compensation benefits on behalf of their deceased family members if it was truly an accident and negligence was not likely a factor.

For further information and guidance on the steps you should take if a family member has been injured or killed at a job site, work with a trusted personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.