If your family lost someone in a Columbia construction accident, you may have rights to workers' compensation survivor benefits, a wrongful death claim, and third-party claims against companies other than the employer. Chris Miller handles these cases for families across central Missouri — personally, start to finish, with no handoffs to associates or paralegals.
Before representing families in court, Chris served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor and administered the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) — the same agency that reviews disputed workers' comp claims. He knows exactly how workers' comp survivor benefits and wrongful death claims overlap under Missouri law because he ran the process from the inside. Insurance companies move fast after a fatal accident. Chris moves faster.
(573) 499-0200 — call anytimeA fatal construction accident leaves a family with grief, unanswered questions, medical bills, burial costs, lost income, and pressure from insurance carriers that may want to close the claim quickly. Families affected by fatal construction accidents in Columbia, Missouri possess distinct legal rights spanning workers' compensation survivor benefits and civil wrongful death claims to recover financial and emotional losses.
Missouri law gives surviving families specific remedies. Section 537.080 of the Missouri Revised Statutes specifies who can file a wrongful death claim — including surviving spouses, children, parents, or specific heirs in order of descent. A civil lawsuit must be filed within three years from the date of death. Missing this deadline means permanently losing the right to sue.
Workers' compensation may also matter. If the deceased was an employee on a construction site, their immediate family is entitled to no-fault benefits under Chapter 287 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. Surviving spouses and dependent children receive 66⅔% of the deceased worker's average weekly wage. But workers' compensation does not always cover everything the family has lost — surviving families can also file a civil wrongful death claim when negligence by a third party caused the fatal construction accident.
Before representing families in court, Chris Miller served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor and administered the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) — the state administrative body where disputed claims are heard. He knows exactly how workers' comp survivor benefits interact with wrongful death claims because he ran the process from the inside.
Bur Oak Injury Law represents families of construction workers killed on the job in Columbia and throughout central Missouri. These cases may involve a construction accident caused by unsafe scaffolding, missing fall protection, failing to block trenches and holes, poor site supervision, defective equipment, or another company's negligence.
A wrongful death claim under RSMo 537.080 allows eligible family members to pursue compensation when a loved one died because of someone else's negligence. Families can pursue compensation for pecuniary losses, loss of consortium and companionship, pre-death pain and suffering, and punitive damages if a third party exhibited highly reckless or intentional misconduct. There is no cap on compensatory damages for non-medical malpractice wrongful death claims in Missouri.
Chris investigates the accident, reviews OSHA reports, gathers witness statements, speaks with co-workers, preserves photos and records, and evaluates whether safety rules were violated. Evidence on construction sites can disappear rapidly as project phases advance — making it critical to preserve evidence immediately after a death.
A workers' compensation claim is not always the only path. Injured construction workers — and the families of those killed — may be eligible to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim against parties other than the employer. Third-party claims may involve:
Fatal wrongful death cases have a three-year filing deadline, so families should schedule a free case evaluation as soon as possible. Waiting can hurt the case due to lost evidence and fading witness memories.
Construction work is dangerous because workers face height risks, electrical hazards, moving equipment, traffic, unstable materials, and changing jobsite conditions every day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 in 5 workplace deaths occurred in the construction industry in 2022, with 38% caused by slips, trips, and falls.
Falls from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, open floors, and unblocked holes are among the most dangerous construction accident events.
Tools and construction materials dropped from a height can cause fatal head trauma and fractures, even from relatively short distances.
Electrocution often happens during the electrical phase of a project when exposed wires and cables are present near workers.
Cranes, forklifts, and heavy equipment operated improperly or maintained inadequately can cause severe injuries and death.
Trench collapses can bury workers within seconds, especially when a construction company fails to shore, slope, or shield the trench.
Flaws in design, subpar materials, or poor-quality assembly can cause structural failures that endanger workers on site.
Workers can suffer fatal exposure when generators, heaters, or engines operate in poorly ventilated confined spaces.
Gas, chemicals, welding, and fuel sources can lead to severe injuries or death when safety rules are ignored.
Fatal construction site accidents may involve trucks, delivery vehicles, work-zone traffic, or unsafe traffic control in a construction zone.
Workers can be crushed or pulled into machines when equipment lacks guards, lockout/tagout procedures are ignored, or operators are negligent.
When a family calls Bur Oak Injury Law after a fatal construction accident, Chris Miller starts by listening. The first step is to understand where the injury occurred, which companies were on site, whether OSHA is involved, and what the family needs immediately. This is also when evidence preservation begins — photos, video, witness statements, and equipment inspection records can matter, and they can disappear quickly when the project continues.
A fatal construction accident case requires a detailed investigation. Bur Oak Injury Law reviews OSHA reports, workplace safety rules, training records, maintenance logs, incident reports, contractor agreements, and available photos or video. Chris may consult construction safety specialists, engineers, accident reconstruction experts, and medical professionals to determine exactly how the accident happened and who was responsible.
The employer may be protected from a direct lawsuit by workers' comp rules, but that does not mean the family has no civil court claim. Chris looks beyond the employer to identify whether a general contractor, subcontractor, property owner, manufacturer, driver, or another third party was at fault — and reviews every available insurance source.
Once liable parties are identified, Bur Oak Injury Law pursues the appropriate claim — which may include a workers' compensation claim for survivor benefits, a wrongful death claim under RSMo 537.080, third-party claims, or court litigation. Chris negotiates with insurance companies while preparing the case as if trial may be necessary, because insurance carriers take cases more seriously when they know the lawyer is ready to file.
Columbia construction accident cases involving a fatality are among the most legally complex claims in Missouri. Families must navigate workers' compensation survivor benefits, the Missouri wrongful death statute, OSHA violation records, and potential third-party civil liability — often simultaneously and under strict deadlines. The construction industry involves multiple overlapping responsibilities: the general contractor controls site safety, subcontractors manage their crews, equipment manufacturers supply tools and machinery, and property owners control access to the land. When a fatal accident occurs, each party's insurance company will immediately begin working to limit its exposure. Families who do not have an experienced attorney often discover they have left money and legal rights on the table.
Missouri law provides multiple channels for compensation after a fatal construction accident in Columbia or central Missouri. Workers' compensation survivor benefits provide a no-fault foundation — covering a percentage of lost wages and up to $5,000 in funeral and burial costs. A civil wrongful death claim can recover far more: medical expenses incurred before death, full lost wages and benefits over the victim's expected work life, loss of companionship and consortium, emotional harm, and punitive damages in cases of egregious negligence. Because there is no damages cap on non-medical malpractice wrongful death claims in Missouri, the potential recovery depends on the strength of the evidence, the victim's age and earning history, and the number of liable parties. Families who deserve justice have the right to pursue every available dollar from every responsible party — and Chris Miller builds cases from day one with that goal in mind.
No fee unless we win. Free consultation with Chris Miller — no obligation.