Postal Worker Killed By Falling Tree at DeKalb County Golf Course

A postal worker was tragically killed on Saturday, January 23, 2016, when a tree fell onto his vehicle at a golf course in DeKalb County, Georgia. The accident happened around 12:30 p.m. when the postal worker was driving on the premises of Lithonia’s Mystery Valley Golf Club. According to a newspaper article on the incident, the tree appeared to be in “poor health.” Officials believe that wind contributed to the tree falling. Because he was working at the time, the postal worker’s surviving family members should be entitled to death benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. The postal worker’s family may also have a wrongful death claim against the premises owner. While a landowner is not always liable for injuries resulting from a falling tree, it may be held liable if it knew, or should have known, that the tree was diseased, decayed, or otherwise in danger of falling. If the tree appeared to be in poor health, as the newspaper article states, then the family may have a viable wrongful death claim.