Port Neches, TX — December 14, 2024, Ricki Bernard Slone Jr. was killed as the result of a work accident that happened at Sterling Shipyard.
Authorities say that the incident happened at Sterling Shipyard, located at 906 Main Street.
Investigators said that 46-year-old Ricki Bernard Slone Jr. was on the property. While details are not clear right now, authorities say that an incident involving heavy equipment occurred. Images in the news showed equipment that had rolled onto its side somehow. Due to the accident, Slone was killed. There were no other reported injuries. Right now, no further information can be confirmed.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
While exact details aren’t clear, the fact of the matter is any fatal work accident in Texas is going to present unique challenges. Simply put, Texas has the most complex work fatality laws of any other state in the country.
For one, people tend to assume there is an automatic path to getting the victim’s loved ones benefits. Texas is different, though, as employers are not required to subscribe to the workers’ comp system. Without the right steps to prepare a family after an accident, they may find that there are roadblocks between them and a fair resolution.
However, in situations when an employer is a subscriber, there can still be extenuating circumstances that make that generally straight-forward process far more complex. In some situations, for example, an employer can behave so grossly negligent that typical legal guardrails which might protect them from significant punishments are able to be removed. This allows families who lost a loved one in particularly egregious circumstances to ensure a responsible employer is held accountable for their actions.
So whatever ultimately led to this accident, Texas work fatality law is a legal maze, to say the least. It can be navigated, but it takes a lot of time, effort, and experience to ensure a victim’s family ends up with a resolution they deserve.
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