At a little after 8 in the morning on August 12 an industrial accident took place that left one Wisconsin man with severe injuries. The 30-year-old man was working at the NewPage Biron mill when a flash fire broke out. In addition to injuring this man, this industrial accident also injured two other men.

As for the 30-year-old-man, he was flown from the mill to the University of Wisconsin Madison Burn Center. The man was listed in serious condition with third-degree burns over approximately 45 percent of his body. According to the man's father, his son has been fighting off infections and other complications and has had six surgeries to date. More surgery is expected in the future. A release date has not yet been estimated.

The details of how the flash fire started are not known or have not been released. As is often the case with any workplace accident the incident appears to have occurred with little or no warning. And while the other two injured men have since returned to work, the man burned has not and may not for quite some time.

When a work related accident occurs, workers have certain rights and benefits that they may want to explore. These include workers' compensation as well as other benefits which may be available. In some cases, however, it may be difficult to understand what benefits are available.

If a Wisconsin worker is entitled to compensation for on the job injuries and is having trouble getting those benefits, he or she may want to consult with an experienced workers' compensation attorney. An attorney may be able to offer legal advice on how the injured person may be able to get what is rightfully due. They may also be able to help streamline the paperwork often required when filing a claim.

Source: The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, "Benefits to help NewPage fire victim," Deb Cleworth, Oct. 6, 2011