It is unlikely that many employees know the stipulations of their workers’ compensation in any great detail. The point is to understand it is there for employee safety and that when the time comes, it is there to help shore up costs and lost wages.
It is even less likely the family of an employee knows that information. When a workplace injury results in death, that information becomes vital.
Wrongful death in the workplace
As Massachusetts statutes detail, the liability falls on the insured company unless there is reasonable cause to believe the injury or death happened due to another’s negligence. Each wrongful death case is unique in how it determines what compensation goes to the family. While there is a possibility of payable death benefits, usual expenses include medical bills up to the worker’s death as well as funeral and burial services.
Funeral costs for an unexpected death
As the National Funeral Directors Association breaks down, the median cost of an adult funeral ranges between $7,069 and $7,881 in the New England region depending on whether or not a family opts for cremation or burial. These statistics do not factor in other costs like burial vaults or price differences around different types of caskets.
Any family grieving the unexpected loss of their loved one has a lot to sort through — especially if that loved one was the primary breadwinner. When it comes to navigating the complex topics of workers’ compensation, it is important for people to learn more about the topic in general as well as the unique factors surrounding their wrongful death cases.
