Goodwill Employee Killed in Tragic Accident
We were saddened to learn of a tragic workplace accident at Goodwill Industries recently.
What Happened?
According to the Sacramento Bee, Abraham Garza, 26, lost his life near a trash compactor at a facility in South Sacramento, although the exact cause of death was undetermined at the time of this blog’s writing. He had been working to align boxes with the compactor at the time of the incident.
Workplace Accident Traumatizes Family, Co-Workers
While Cal/OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) noted that the exact cause of death or the events that led to it had not been established, the effect on Garza’s family and fellow Goodwill employees was immediate. In a statement issued through the nonprofit-organization, Garza’s family called him a “loving father, brother [and] friend.” Goodwill itself has offered counseling and “nonstop” efforts to help other employees.
Still, the loss goes beyond just the initial pain and trauma suffered by these groups as a result of the loss of Garza. Even before the emotional toll is fully known, the economic impact will already be felt.
Pain and Suffering and Loss of Future Income
Trying to quantify the loss in terms of the financial dent in the budget of the Garzas is as difficult as it is to imagine their pain and suffering. One of the difficult calculations that lawyers work to assess with the help of actuaries on behalf of families who are plaintiffs in civil actions regarding California’s fatal workplace accidents is the loss of future income.
Garza’s family has not publicly obtained the services of a personal injury lawyer. However, in other cases, an actuary who is used to financial prediction might find it difficult to calculate the loss of future earnings. The man was in his mid-20s with a long career ahead of him. The Goodwill workplace accident ended a range of possibilities.
More generally, though, working with accident attorneys in California can assist families in achieving the best possible financial damages based on the facts of their case. Does that solve every issue arising from an untimely death?
What Workplace Accident Lawsuit Damages Can Provide
Garza’s salary is no longer paid to his family. Their bills will mount rapidly and that does not even include the cost of the burial and any ceremonies involved. There are also monthly expenses that will continue to need to be paid even as the family grieves.
In the case of a workplace accident, an attorney works to obtain damages or a settlement that will help to offset those costs. While other damages due to loss and suffering as a result of the tragedy are hard to assess because it’s difficult to put a number on loss, they still can provide some benefit.
Causes that matter to a deceased family member can be honored through scholarships or donations. A former Goodwill employee, for example, might have sought to expand economic opportunities to the less fortunate.
We extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Abraham Garza in the loss of their loved one.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, please call me at (916) 921-6400 or free of toll at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
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:JC