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The Stoddard Firm Blog

Every Warehouse Accident Deserves Investigation and Accountability

The word “accident” is not an adequate explanation for a life-altering or life-ending workplace tragedy. Yet far too often, that’s all the information that survivors receive. Differentiating an accident from an assault should be the beginning of the search for truth, not the end. Accidents happen in warehouses because of bad safety policies, poor training, time pressure, faulty equipment, and other quantifiable problems worthy of scrutiny. Leaving accident investigations unfinished prev...

Water Park Attractions Require Pinpoint Engineering and Rules of Operation

Anyone who grew up loving water parks probably has at least one memory of being frustrated with the height requirements for certain attractions. There are good reasons why most theme park rides have these restrictions, however, and they’re especially important for water slides. Unlike rollercoasters, which use heavy cars and sometimes mechanical propulsion systems, water slides rely solely on the rider’s mass to carry them through to the end of the ride. As a result, riders with different ...

Savannah’s Sugar Refinery Has a History of Preventable Deaths

The sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, at the north end of Savannah, has been in operation almost continuously since 1917. The most infamous day in its history was February 7th, 2008, when a buildup of sugar dust under one of the conveyor belts ignited, leading to a massive particle explosion that killed 14 workers, injured 38 more, and leveled large portions of the facility. Sadly, one major accident might not sound like a terrible record for a high-volume industrial facility that had been...

Gas Stations Near Jonesboro Have a Legal Duty to Help Prevent Violence

Violent crime can sometimes feel like an unstoppable force that no one, not even the richest companies, can do anything about. In reality, the way even a single business is run can make a huge impact on local crime rates. Simple changes like good lighting, cameras, and security guard presence can greatly reduce the risk of violence on or near the property. Of course, not every business needs a full-time guard, and some need more than one. Exactly what security a business should provide ...

Construction Workers Have a Right to Reliable Fall Protection

Construction is one of the deadliest careers in the U.S, and falls are the leading cause of on-the-job death for construction workers. Properly safeguarding against these kinds of accidents could save hundreds of lives every year, yet inadequate fall protection on construction sites remains the single most common OSHA violation. Under worker’s comp law, fall victims and their families are not allowed to sue their employers for personal injury or wrongful death. They can only file for parti...

Worker’s Comp Is Not Enough to Cover the True Cost of Construction Accidents

Like most workers in the U.S, construction company employees are subject to worker’s comp law. This means that, when a construction worker is injured, the worker’s comp system handles the claim and pays for the worker’s immediate medical expenses. This process is usually fairly quick, because it does not require any proof of fault, but there’s a trade-off. Employees who are eligible for worker’s comp are barred from filing personal injury lawsuits against their employers, even in cases of ...

Sex Trafficking Victims of Mark Thomas Can Seek Compensation in Civil Court

A year and a half ago, a Cherokee County police officer performed a traffic stop on a vehicle containing a man in his late 30s and an underage girl. The girl seized the opportunity and told the officer that the man, Mark Thomas, had been sex trafficking her for the past three months, starting when she was 15 years old. The investigation that followed resulted in six arrests and, so far, five convictions for sex trafficking. Thomas himself has received two life sentences. His accomplice, Ce...

What Is the Average Payout for a Head Injury?

Head Injuries Are Serious and Life Altering The Financial Impact Can Be Overwhelming Painful recoveries. Costly medical treatments. Missed work. These are just a few issues facing individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. Regardless of the cause of the incident (which can range from vehicular crashes to workplace accidents to serious falls), the result is a way of life that is often unrecognizable. If you find yourself or a loved one in this position - the future can seem dev...

Can I Sue for Wrongful Death in a Construction Site Fall in Georgia?

Being a construction site worker has its inherent dangers, whether falling from a roof, getting injured by a power tool, or being hit by falling debris. In the worst accidents, workers can die. If you ask, “Can I sue for wrongful death in a construction site fall in Georgia?” the answer is almost always "yes." Of the 5,333 employees in the U.S. who died on the job in 2019, roughly 1 in 5 were construction workers, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Admi...

MARTA’s Escalator Accidents Continue Under Schindler Maintenance

For decades, MARTA has relied upon Schindler Elevator Corporation for its escalator and elevator maintenance. As we’ve detailed elsewhere on this site, there have been a disturbing number of escalator accidents in MARTA stations during that time, including an incident where three escalators failed in a single day. To be fair to MARTA, Schindler is one of five extremely powerful international companies in the elevator/escalator industry. The European Commission, a trade regulatory organizat...