A Pennsylvania police officer is being mourned after he was fatally shot while pursuing a suspect. The work accident happened while the officer was directing traffic around another accident. One of the people in traffic ignored the officer’s directions and tried to get around the stopped traffic by pulling into the opposing lane. The man sped away, and the officer chased him.

The accused abandoned his vehicle and hid behind some grass with the officer in pursuit. Unfortunately, the man began to fire a handgun and struck the officer in the head. Another bullet struck the officer’s dog, but the animal survived. The person responsible for his death committed suicide at the scene.

The officer is the first to die in the line of duty in his department. The department has since begun fund-raising to help the family that the officer left behind. His wife is currently pregnant with their second child and is the mother of a 7-month-old daughter.

When employed in certain careers, the odds of a work accident may increase. This officer was killed in the line of duty, and as such, his family may be eligible to receive benefits from the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation program. Although they are likely not thinking about the future financial impact just yet, workers’ compensation can help them with the medical costs associated with the officer’s hospitalization and funeral costs after his death. It can also help them in the future, especially since his wife was left behind with a very young child and another on the way. Any funds generated could only help them cope with their devastating loss.

Source: Philly.com, “Plymouth Township officers remember a slain colleague,” Carolyn Davis, Nov. 26, 2012