Farmworker's family gets $180k from insurance in heat death case

[Omaha Steve]

Farmworker's family gets $180k from insurance in heat death case

Two children of a Kern County farm worker whose 2005 death from extreme heat helped convince Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue the first state regulation in the nation to prevent heat illness will receive a $160,000 death benefit or payments of $448 every two weeks until the youngest child reaches age 18 under a settlement to be announced Friday in Bakersfield.

Constantino Cruz Hernandez, 24, was one of four Central Valley farm workers—three in Kern County—who died in July 2005 of exposure to extreme heat. Cruz Hernandez was working for a farm labor contractor in a tomato field near Shafter on July 21, 2005. The conveyor pulled by a tractor on which he was placing tomatoes was running too quickly, forcing workers to labor at a fast pace in temperatures of more than 100 degrees. Cruz Hernandez was admitted to Kern Medical Center after he was stricken, but was released the next day. At home he collapsed, his heart stopped and he was pronounced dead at a Delano hospital on July 31, 2005.

On Aug. 2, 2005, members of the Cruz Hernandez family joined Gov. Schwarzenegger and UFW President Arturo Rodriguez at a state Capitol news conference where the landmark state head regulation was announced. Among other things, the new regulations provides for water, shade, and allows workers to take a paid break whenever the worker believes they are suffering from heat illness

[Imalittleteapot]

1. Almost $12,000 annually.

Hardly enough! I'm glad the Governor has taken action and that the family got a settlement, but in a fair world the figure would have been much higher.