A construction worker’s body has been recovered after the bulldozer operated by the West Tennessee man toppled backward off a cliff at a job site and plunged into 25 feet of murky water earlier this month. The fatal work accident took place on July 10, and resulted in the death of 64-year-old Joe D. Trevathan, an experienced bulldozer operator who Obion County Sheriff Jerry Vastbinder says was employed by Ford Construction Company for 28 years prior to his tragic workplace death. If you have been injured in a TN workplace accident, or if you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, consult our workers’ compensation attorneys at Michael D. Ponce & Associates for legal help. With our legal team on your side, you can protect your legal rights and pursue financial compensation for your losses.
A dark-water dive team from Shelby County and the Obion County Rescue Squad were called in to search with sonar equipment the pit where Trevathan fell to his death while working on the construction site in Obion County, Tennessee. According to investigators, Trevathan was doing ground work near the pit when the bulldozer fell off the ledge. “The other person that was working equipment noticed he couldn’t be found Wednesday afternoon,” said Sheriff Vastbinder. Once it was discovered what had transpired, attempts to drain the water from the gravel pit were unsuccessful, and it wasn’t until July 11, the day after the accident occurred, that Trevathan’s body was finally recovered. According to officials, the pit where the Tennessee worker was operating the bulldozer is used by Ford Construction Company as a source for fill material.
“He worked for the company for 28 years,” said Sheriff Vastbinder. “He put in several hours a year in this machinery operations. He was no rookie to the equipment.” According to investigators, Trevathan’s body will be sent to Memphis for an autopsy to determine whether the Tennessee worker suffered a medical event prior to the accident. In the meantime, the Federal Agency of National Mine Safety is investigating the TN workplace accident to determine what caused Trevathan to go over the ledge and into the pit. If you have suffered injuries in a job site accident in Nashville, or elsewhere in Tennessee, contact our legal team at Michael D. Ponce & Associates, as you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for your medical expenses and missed time at work. Our lawyers have extensive experience protecting the rights of injured workers in Tennessee, and will work diligently to help you seek fair and timely reimbursement for your injuries.
Source: http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/Bulldozer-Operators-Body-Recovered-After-Workplace-Accident-215173841.html