Malman Law
Legal News

Monday, October 31, 2011

Stunt Gone Wrong

One Killed, One Severely Injured in Stunt Gone Wrong

Yahoo! reports that “one stuntman was killed and another one seriously injured in an explosion the set of action film “The Expendables 2″ in Bulgaria, the movie’s production company said on Friday.”

The stuntment were involved in filming scenes for the movie starring Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Travlota and other A-List Hollywood stars at Lake Ognyanovo, a reservoir in Southwest Bulgaria.

The production company has indicated in a statement that they are working closely with the authorities on investigating this accident. Additionally, they expressed their regret and condolences to the families and those affected by the on-set accident.

The “Expendables 2” film follows the 2010 box office hit “Expendables” and is due to be released next summer.

Work Injury and Wrongful Death

Some industries have higher risks than others. Generally, with higher risks come more stringent safety protocols and procedures. However, even when appropriate safety measures are taken, work injury accidents and fatalities do occur.

In Chicagoland, not only are injured workers and their families likely entitled to Illinois workers’ compensation benefits, but also, they may have grounds for filing a Cook County personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against liable or negligent third parties. Due to workers compensation law, you are unable to sue your employer for wrongful death or personal injury.

The issue may become somewhat confused when you take into consideration whether an individual was considered an independent contractor or an employee at the time of the work injury. The distinction between employee and independent contractor can often mean the difference between eligibility for work injuries.

Because the process of filing for and receiving workers compensation benefits for a work injury is complicated, you should contact a qualified legal professional for assistance. Many Chicago workers compensation attorneys do not charge for legal fees unless you receive compensation, so you have nothing to lose. It becomes increasingly important to contact a workers compensation attorney the more complicated your case is – as in the above example where there is a question of the type of employment.