Work Accident at Rock Quarry

Jefferson, GA Teen Dies After Industrial Work Accident at Rock Quarry

I’m personal injury attorney Jerry Parisi, practicing in Jefferson, Georgia. I feel compelled to share insights that might help others in instances where someone has suffered a personal injury, been the victim of a horrific accident, or even lost a limb – or life. You do not have to suffer through accidents alone. One such accident is a recent event in our own community:

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reported that 16-year-old Brian Thigpen has passed away after he was pinned under a piece of machinery while working at the Vulcan Materials Rock Quarry on Valentine Industrial Parkway in Jefferson,GA on Friday, June 17th. Deputies said it appeared the machinery was in operation when it turned over on top of the teen, who was driving the machinery. Thigpen, who was one month shy of his 17th birthday, was a hardworking young man, spending his second summer in a row working for an excavating company to help support his family and to gain work experience.

Sadly, this tragic accident likely could have been avoided. While OSHA and the sheriff’s office are still investigating the causes of this accident, the family may have strong claims under Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Act and/or Georgia’s Wrongful Death Statute and other laws.

For a workers comp claim, there does not need to be a finding that the employer was negligent in any way. In a wrongful death claim, the family may recover for:

  • the “full value of the life of the decedent, as shown by the evidence” from the negligent party.
  • The “full value of the life of the decedent, as shown by the evidence” means the full value of the life of the person who passed away without deducting for any of the necessary or personal expenses of the decedent had he lived.
  • Additionally, the “full value of the life” is measured from the point of view of the person who died.

What this means is that if a son passes away, the measure of damages is not a mother’s loss from not having her son anymore, but the son’s loss from not being able live a long and prosperous life and enjoy all the things that he or she should have gotten to experience.

If you or a loved one has suffered a tragic accident similar to this, the best advice I can give you is to find an attorney that you can trust as soon as possible. Evidence and witnesses must be found and preserved as soon as possible to make sure all at-fault parties are held accountable. The insurance companies for the negligent parties have armies of attorneys and adjusters whose jobs are to avoid responsibility. You need someone on your side who can hold them accountable. Don’t wait, call today.