Texas-Based Tower Technician Killed in Louisiana in Accident Caused by Fall From Tower Build
A fatal accident in which a tower technician fell to his death on a worksite in Cotton Valley, Louisiana, is a terrifying example of the types of hazards tower technicians, climbers, construction workers, and other workers who work with heights face every day that they step on the job, and raises questions about the application of Louisiana workers’ compensation laws to out-of-state workers working within Louisiana. According to reports on the terrible and fatal work-related death, 27-year-old Dalton Ray Teater, an employee of the Texas-based company RB Telecom Services, LLC, was working on the construction of a T-Mobile tower in Mississippi when he fell to his death from the tower. The fall occurred earlier this year on February 17. Reports indicate that the tower itself was 349-feet high, and that Teater fell from what is estimated to be the 220-foot level of the under-construction tower. Little information was released in the case, and it was not known at the time of the most recent reports on the fatal accident what exactly led to the fall that caused Teater’s death. The Office of Safety and Health Administration in Baton Rouge was investigating the accident at the time of the most recent reports. ONTIVITY, a network infrastructure services provider, under which Eastex Tower, the company RB Telecom Services was performing work for issued the following statement about the young worker’s death: “We are deeply saddened by the news that an RB Telecom Services employee suffered a fatal fall on February 17, 2025, while performing wireless telecommunications work in Cotton Valley, Louisiana. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the employee’s family and loved ones and all those impacted by this event. Out of respect for the family’s privacy and any investigation that may be performed, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Are Workers Who Live Out of State Entitled to Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
The fatal workplace accident that took Dalton Ray Teater’s life too soon raises an important question about Louisiana workers’ compensation laws: are out-of-state workers who perform work in Louisiana entitled to Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits? According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, “If an out-of-state employer operates in Louisiana with employees of its own state, the owner must provide coverage in accordance with the laws of his state as long as the coverage extends to operate within the borders of Louisiana.” Importantly, every workplace accident case is unique, and, accordingly, if you are injured in the state of Louisiana, and you have questions about your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits under Louisiana laws, it is best to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer about your case.
The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at the law firm Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help injured Louisiana workers get workers’ compensation benefits due to them. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.
Sources:
laworks.net/FAQs/FAQ_WorkComp_EmployerCoverage.asp#answer_12
wirelessestimator.com/articles/2025/texas-tower-technician-falls-to-his-death-during-a-t-mobile-build-in-louisiana-on-an-american-tower-site/
