Georgia Family Feels Loss of Loved One Due to Workplace Accident During Thanksgiving Holiday

For many Georgia and Decatur residents, the holidays are all about getting together with family. However, when a loved one has passed away due to a workplace accident, especially recently, the fresh wounds of loss may be felt particularly hard during the holiday season. One Georgia family is particularly reeling from the loss of their loved one this holiday season, as they remember him during Thanksgiving.

According to local reports, the family of 34-year-old Jerry Lamar Norris was not looking forward to “having an empty seat at their Thanksgiving table” this year after experiencing his loss in May. Norris, of Chatsworth, Georgia, was crushed by a rollup machine at his employer, Sprinturf, a company that makes artificial grass and grass turf products. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is said to have investigated and fined Sprinturf in the fatal and tragic workplace accident, stating “A coworker (Quality Control), who was not assisting [Norris], was standing near the roller assembly and leaned down on one of the sliding platforms located between the Roll-Up Station and the Accumulation Table. This caused a sensor to actuate the roller assembly to lower, which resulted in crushing the employee’s torso. The employee immediately lifted the roller assembly using the control panel; however, the roller assembly went down again on the employee’s back.” OSHA ultimately fined Sprinturf in the amount of $214,520 in regards to the fatal workplace accident, finding that the company “did not develop a procedure to control potentially hazardous conditions.”

Although Norris’ family is still reeling from his tragic and unexpected loss this holiday season, reports indicate that they are “still offering gratitude in the spirit of the season.” His mother is “thankful for Jerry’s lively spirit” and his father is “thankful for his ability to make anyone smile.”

Help for the Families of Decatur Workers Tragically Killed on the Job

There is no doubt that nothing can replace the loss of a loved one. However, in Decatur, when a loved one is lost due to a workplace accident, certain dependent family members of the worker who was tragically killed may be entitled to important Georgia workers’ compensation benefits to help them financially. Georgia workers’ compensation death benefits may include things like lost wage compensation, funeral expenses, and other important benefits. If you lost your loved one due to a workplace accident in Decatur, and you are interested in finding out if you and your family are entitled to Georgia workers’ compensation death benefits, it is important to speak with an experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options.

The experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your workers’ compensation death benefits case and to see if they can help fight for you to get benefits due. Contact the experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm today and speak to a lawyer about your case for free.

Source:

fox17.com/news/nation-world/they-were-careless-my-son-lost-his-life-family-of-chatsworth-workplace-death-victim-considering-lawsuit-sprinturf-jerry-lamar-norris-rollup-machine-osha-fine-hazardous-conditions