Martinez, GA — A man died in a work accident in Martinez, Georgia, on Saturday, January 10, 2015. The accident happened at Evergreen Tank Solutions, around 7:15 in the morning.
According to local news sources, two men were attempting to hook a trailer up to a company truck. To do so, they put the trailer up on two tire rims. However, the rims lifted the trailer too high. Reports say the men then laid wood on the ground which they hoped would raise the truck.
As the men were working, one of the rims shifted and the trailer fell on top of Patrick Wilson, killing him. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.
The accident is currently being investigated by local authorities. It’s not clear if the local OSHA office has been notified of the accident.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Typically, accidents like this are going to be handled through an employer’s workers’ comp policy. Workers’ comp, however, is circumvented whenever a third party is involved. Not too many details on this particular accident have been released, but it’s entirely possible that the two men involved worked for different companies. If that’s the case, then one of the could find themselves liable for the accident. While a workers’ comp policy extends to employees hurt in on-the-job accidents, they don’t extend to third parties. If a third party were responsible here, the employee who was injured in the accident would be within their rights to bring a claim against them.
— Grossman Law Offices