According to the Federal Bureau of Labor, 5,147 workers were killed on the job in 2017 (3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) – on average, more than 99 a week or more than 14 deaths every day.

Every employer has a legal duty to provide safe working conditions for their employees. Employees are often not aware of the possible dangers in their work environment until it is too late and an accident occurs. Accidents happen in all types of workplaces, from construction sites to warehouses, factories and office environments.

Under Illinois law, if a person dies as a result of a workplace injury, his or her dependents are entitled to receive workers’ compensation death benefits. In the state of Illinois, these death benefits are allocated through weekly payments.

An eligible dependent can receive up to two-thirds of the deceased worker’s average weekly wage. The minimum and maximum amounts that can be paid out are established by the state each year. Benefit payments end after $500,000 is paid out or after 25 years. Workers’ compensation death benefits may also be used for funeral expenses up to a certain amount.

Depending on the circumstances that lead to the work fatality, the surviving spouse, children, or other family members may be entitled to additional compensation for any negligent third parties. At Krol, Bongiorno & Given, we have handled well over 30,000 claims for injured workers throughout the state of Illinois. If you have lost a loved one in a work accident, call (312) 726-5567 to learn more about obtaining workers’ compensation death benefits.