A 56-year-old man has died from injuries he received when he fell from a 12-foot ladder at the Giant Food Store in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. While no saw the man fall, he was found lying on the floor. The accident occurred on Valentine’s Day and while the man’s condition had improved slightly during the days after the accident, he succumbed to his injuries on Feb. 21.

The man’s injuries were consistent with having fallen from the ladder, including significant blunt force trauma. He was taken to York Hospital. He was a relief manager for the grocery store chain and his death was ruled as accidental.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the man’s death, but didn’t provide additional details. The man’s autopsy showed that he died because of a blood clot in his lungs.

It’s been since March 2015 that York county has had a work-related death. That was a 63-year-old man who died from injuries suffered when a spool of wire crashed down on him. In 2014, there were 174 Pennsylvania fatalities from workplace accidents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Twenty-five of those fatalities were due to people who slipped, tripped or fell.

When someone dies because of a workplace accident, he or she is generally covered by workers’ compensation death benefits, which the family will receive. In a few cases, there may be a third-party to blame for a workplace death, which could result in a lawsuit. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can provide more information about what is needed in that type of case.

Source: York Daily Record, “Shrewsbury Giant employee dies after fall,” Gordon Rago, Feb. 24, 2016