Javier Jimenez Jr., 37, of West Covina, was fatally struck by a metal plate while working on an HVAC system at Disneyland early morning on Aug. 29. According to a news report in the Orange County Register, one of the man’s co-workers called for help around 3:20 a.m. The men, who worked for a third-party contractor, were in a backstage area installing chiller lines for the HVAC system. They were lowering a piece of equipment when it hit a beam and knocked over the metal plate. The plate struck the worker, who was in the trench, and knocked him over.
Ongoing Investigation
Firefighters who arrived at the scene loaded the man, who was down an 8- to the 10-foot trench, into a basket and hoist him out. Jimenez was transported to an area trauma center where he has pronounced shortly afterward. The incident occurred outside the theme park area, officials said. No one else was injured in the incident. It’s not known at this time what caused the plate to fall. The investigation is ongoing.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family members of Javier Jimenez for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
What Caused This Workplace Accident?
Based on this news report, it appears that Jimenez was working on the HVAC system in Disneyland, located outside the theme parks when the metal plate struck him. We trust officials are looking at a number of factors here. There are still a number of questions. Why was the metal plate the fell on the worker not secured? Why did workers who lowered the equipment into the trench pay attention to the plate that could come loose? Were the workers trained for the job? Were they being supervised at the time? Was the injured worker provided with the personal protective equipment necessary for the job?
In such cases where a workplace accident results in a fatality, members of the victim’s family may be able to seek workers’ compensation death benefits from the employer. In some cases, they may also be able to file a third-party claim against parties other than the employer depending on the circumstances of the incident and what caused the fatal injuries. Examples of third parties include general contractors, sub-contractors, property owners, manufacturers of defective products, etc.
An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and/or their families about their legal rights and options and help them secure maximum compensation for their damages and losses.
Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/08/29/man-working-in-trench-at-disneyland-seriously-injured-when-steel-plate-falls-on-him/
