Yankee Candle Worker Dies After Fall from Forklift

A 24-year-old worker at the Yankee Candle Co. warehouse in Deerfield died after falling from a forklift. The man started his employment at the warehouse only a few months before the accident. He obtained the position through a local temp agency.

The man fell approximately 30 feet from the forklift. The police have stated that the worker may have been standing on a forklift extension at the time of the accident.

According to the local district attorney’s office, following the fall, the employee was taken by ambulance to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield where he was pronounced dead.

The CEO of Yankee Candle reported that this accident is the first worker fatality that the company has had in Deerfield.

The Deerfield police responded to the accident after they received an emergency phone call from the Yankee Candle distribution center. The distribution center is located on Routes 5 and 10 near the corporate offices. The emergency call was received at 4:28 a.m.

The man’s death is being investigated by state police detectives and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In accordance with the law, OSHA has six months to complete a report on the incident.

At the Massachusetts law firm of Altman & Altman, our Workers’ Compensation attorneys have over 50 years of experience in successfully representing injured workers and their families with workers’ compensation claims and disputes against employees and insurance companies throughout Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, the decedent’s estate has three years from the time of death or from the time of discovery that a wrongful death occurred to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the liable parties. Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and parents are given priority when filing a wrongful death claim. If the deceased left behind no immediate family members, then brothers, sisters, grandchildren, and other relatives may file for damages.

Please contact the law firm of Altman & Altman for a free initial consultation with one of our experienced Boston lawyers.

Source: Yankee Candle employee dies in fall, Daly Hampshire Gazette, August 21, 2010

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