At Globe Live Media we explain how much money your family is entitled to in the event that you have a fatal accident and die while working in the US. The amount usually varies depending on the state where the incident occurred
If you have lost a family member to a fatal injury at work, you may be eligible to receive some survivor benefits. This usually occurs because of the workers’ compensation insurance system, coverage that protects employees who have been injured or killed on the job.
The question is: How much money exactly corresponds to the family of a worker who has died during his work? The answer, as they say to this type of question, depends on the state in which the incident occurs.
According to the specialized portal NOLO, benefits for the death of a worker are designed to help certain family members cope with the loss of financial assistance they received from the deceased relative.
Generally, these benefits are reserved for the immediate family members of the deceased worker. This means, in a few words, your spouse or children (who must be between 18 and 21 years of age maximum), as well as other relatives who were dependent on the income of the deceased worker.
The benefits, as we said before, tend to vary depending on the state. Under NOLO, the money that a surviving family could receive from a deceased worker could be approximately two-thirds of the deceased worker’s weekly wages.
This money can reach surviving families in the form of weekly payments or a one-time payment, which, depending on state regulations, could equal up to two years of the deceased worker’s salary.
In some cases, the total amount of benefits may also vary depending on the number of dependents, and may be higher if the deceased worker had many dependents.
It should be noted that, in addition to the money from workers’ compensation insurance, deceased employees often also have coverage that covers part of the funeral expenses, which can be more than $10,000.
The NOLO portal indicates that the time limit to claim money for the death of a worker usually ranges between one and two years, so, in general, it is best to apply for these benefits as soon as possible.