Motor sport fans in Pennsylvania are probably aware of how chaotic the action can become during the closing stages of a race. Drivers often throw caution to the wind as they approach the checkered flag, and serious accidents are sometimes caused by minor mistakes or a piece of debris on the track. Such an accident occurred during the final lap of an IMSA race in Detroit on May 30, and a confluence of factors led to a race safety worker suffering serious injuries.

Conditions had remained dry for most of the day, but rain started falling as the race entered its final stages. Many drivers elected to forgo a pit stop and remain on slick tires to save valuable seconds, and poor traction may have contributed to a car losing control as it approached the finish line. Race officials were not able to explain why a safety truck was on the track, and media reports indicate that rain prevented drivers from seeing a yellow warning flag as their cars approached the accident scene.

The car slammed into a wall before striking a safety truck, and four cars were prevented from completing the race as they became tangled in the debris. Video footage of the incident shows safety workers fleeing from the approaching car, but one man was unable to get out of the way. He is said to have suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs and injuries to his spleen and a kidney in the on-the-job accident.

Eligible employees may choose to apply for workers’ compensation benefits when they are injured while in the performance of their duties. Benefits can include the provision of necessary medical treatment. Many injured workers choose to use the assistance of an attorney when preparing and filing their claims.