[08-24-2022] Santa Cruz County, CA – One Worker Killed While in Fatal Accident on Bear Creek Road

A tree worker was killed while trimming branches on Bear Creek Road on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

The incident occurred shortly after noon in the vicinity of Little Bear Lane and Mayfair Road.

The Boulder Creek Fire Department sent two engines to the scene in response to reports of a man in his 40s in need of assistance in the vicinity of Little Bear Lane and Mayfair Road.

According to Boulder Creek Fire Chief Mark Bingham, the firefighters tried to speak to the man, but he was unresponsive.

According to Bingham, the authorities didn’t have a safe way to access him using our conventional ground ladders or rope that the fire department carries for daily rescues because of the peculiar circumstances of the tree, the extremely steep ground, and the hanging over the river.

Bingham further stated that the Santa Cruz Fire Department was called to provide a ladder truck in addition to staffing for a rope rescue system to free the man from the tree.

Sadly, the worker appeared to have passed away from a wound sustained while performing work in the tree.

The Santa Cruz County Coroner’s Office was unable to immediately provide information on the man’s identity or manner of death.

According to Bingham, Ben Lomond Fire set up a landing zone in anticipation of a potential rescue while an American Medical Response ambulance and a Lifeflight Air Medical Services helicopter were waiting in the wings.

During the rescue operations, the California Highway Patrol helped with temporary road closures on Bear Creek Road.

Fatal Workplace Accident Statistics

While most workplaces are risk-free, some do present serious dangers to employees due to their nature or location. Construction, manufacturing, farming, and driving are all occupations where workers are more likely to sustain injuries.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than 4,500 people in the United States are killed or seriously injured on the job each year.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that by the end of 2020, more than two-thirds of American workers had suffered an injury on the job. This figure has been stable since 2018.

Even though work-related fatalities have stayed relatively high, the number of workers’ comp claims has gone down. During 2018, there was a 2% increase, to 5,333, in the number of fatal workplace accidents. Since 2010, the death rate has been on the rise.

The number of deaths that occurred in the workplace increased by 2% this year. There have been 5,333 traffic-related fatalities in 2019. Slips, trips, and falls were responsible for 16.5% of all accidental deaths. Of all fatalities, 39.8% were caused by car accidents.

The three leading causes of death on the job are automobile accidents, falling or moving objects, and homicide. Overexertion from lifting and moving heavy objects, as well as slips and trips, are the most common causes of non-fatal workplace injuries.

Santa Cruz County Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Having a lawyer on your side ensures that your interests are represented in court. When it comes to receiving full and fair workers’ compensation, no one will be able to take advantage of you.

When dealing with insurance companies, an attorney can aggressively advocate for a fair settlement amount.

Instead of representing yourself in court, it’s best to hire an attorney so that they can scrutinize your case thoroughly. Our Riverside County workers’ compensation lawyers at Arash Law are ready to go to court on your behalf and fight for the maximum settlement.

Don’t wait around after an accident to get in touch with our legal team. It’s possible that someone else’s carelessness or negligence caused your injuries or even caused your death. It’s possible that you’ll have to file a lawsuit in order to collect your debt. If you are looking to speak with one of our top-notch California workers’ compensation attorneys, please call us at (888) 488-1391.