Americus, Georgia Family Still Seeks Justice, Answers, after Death of Loved One at Meat Processor Job

Last year, an Americus, Georgia family was hit with a humongous blow, right out of the blue. Their loved one, 54-year-old Tony Stafford, went to work one day, just like any other, at the Golden Gourmet, LLC meat processing facility, but was killed on the job due to a workplace accident.

According to local news reports, on June 30th of last year, Tony Stafford was working his regular job at Golden Gourmet when 9,000 pounds of steel fell on him. In response to the horrific workplace accident, Stafford’s family says that, instead of calling for emergency services to save the man, no one at the company called 911 and, instead, Stafford was “placed in the back of someone’s truck and dropped off at the hospital.” Stafford died from the injuries that he sustained from the terrible accident just about two weeks later on July 14, 2023.

In response to Stafford’s death, his family reached out to WALB 10 seeking answers for how their loved one could have met such a horrific end while simply just working for his employer. Simultaneously, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the horrific workplace death, and issued four citations to Golden Gourmet, LLC. OSHA found that Golden Gourmet, LLC had “exposed employees working in and around the steel racking system to struck-by hazards”, not adequately trained employees operating forklifts, and “failed to report a work-related hospitalization within 24 hours.” The company now faces over $21,000 in citations in relation to the horrible and fatal workplace accident that killed Tony Stafford.

Of the avoidable and horrific workplace accident, Sumter County coroner Mathis Wright, who initially called OSHA to investigate the death of Stafford, said, “Not only for this particular companies but other companies that hear about that they will be more attentive to doing things the right way and protect their workers better.” Stafford’s brother said of his death, “We would rather have him here and we know that he would be here if it was not for the negligence of several entities. So yes, we are filing several lawsuits and justice will be served.”

Georgia Workers’ Compensation Laws – What Rights Do Injured Workers Have under the Law?

The fatal workplace accident that took Tony Stafford’s life highlights the dangers that workers in Georgia and throughout the country may face when they step into the workplace. Accordingly, it is important for workers in Decatur to know that most workers who are seriously injured on the job in Decatur and who are unable to work are entitled to Georgia workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits under Georgia laws entitle most Decatur workers to receive money compensation while injured and unable to work, for their workplace injuries. In order to determine whether you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in Decatur for your workplace injury, it is best to speak with an experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer about your case.

The experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm help Decatur workers get workers’ compensation benefits due to them. Contact the O’Connell Law Firm today and speak to an experienced lawyer about your rights and options now.

Source:

walb.com/2024/01/05/osha-cites-sumter-co-business-serious-safety-violations-workplace-death/