Mike McKee Killed in Hot Springs, AR, Texamerican Food Blending Inc Accident
Hot Springs, AR -- January 3, 2017, Mike McKee was killed as the result of an accident at his workplace, the Texamerican Food Blending Inc. plant.
According to Garland County officials, 27-year-old McKee was working at the plant Tuesday around 11:00 a.m. Reports say that McKee dropped a bag of salt into a mixing tank. The machine was off, and he entered the tank to retrieve the bag.
As he was inside the mixing tank, the machine somehow activated, and McKee became trapped in the equipment. He sustained fatal injuries in the machine.
A co-worker discovered McKee in the machine, hit the emergency stop button, and called emergency services. McKee was transported to St. Vincent Hospital, though it is unclear where exactly he died.
Details surrounding the incident, such as how the equipment was activated, are still under investigation. No further details are currently available.
Map of the Area
Commentary
I'm sure a lot of people might read about this accident and think, "this company is probably gonna get hit with a huge lawsuit." Well, this isn't really the case. The laws surrounding workplace injuries and deaths vary from state to state. In Arkansas, the laws are pretty strict and revolve around worker's comp.
In Arkansas, generally speaking, victims and their families cannot sue an employer. Compensation comes in the form of payments agreed to under worker's comp guidelines. Pretty much the only circumstances in which a lawsuit would be possible is if some third party's negligence caused the accident--for example, the machine itself had faulty safety features or a defect. This way, the victim or their family could file a claim against the third party.
Work accidents and the laws surrounding them are often very complex, and they vary from state to state. Anyone affected by a work accident should seek out an experienced professional to guide them through the process.
--Grossman Law Offices
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