Callahan & Blaine

Ohio security guard Pedro Alvarez was killed by a forklift at the Charles Jones Produce plant where he worked. Alvarez, the night security guard at the tomato processing plant, walked in front of the forklift and was hit when the driver did not see him. Alvarez was pronounced dead at the scene.

The forklift driver says his vision was obscured and he did not see Alvarez walk in front of the forklift because of low lighting and dust in the air. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has begun an investigation into the accident. The investigation is expected to take up to six months, which is typical when there has been a work fatality. The forklift driver has not been charged with a crime.

Local papers have described the accident as “freak,” but forklift accidents are not uncommon. Workplace accidents happen every day due to unsafe working conditions and inadequate safety procedures. The pending OSHA investigation will determine if Charles Jones Produce is responsible for Alvarez’ death.

OSHA’s web-based database indicates Charles Jones Produce has had no previous safety violations and no other investigations are pending.

Callahan & Blaine is California’s premier litigation firm. In fact, in the last five years alone our lawyers have obtained over $1.2 billion in verdicts and settlements, including a $7 million settlement for a cyclist who was left with a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a newspaper delivery truck, and a $7.25 million settlement in a case when a man was run over trying to board a city bus in Orange County, California.

Our success in litigating and negotiating personal injury cases comes from our uncommon approach; we handle each personal injury case as though it were a complex business litigation case, attacking it from every angle possible. While our firm is located in Orange County, California, we handle serious personal injury, wrongful death and product liability cases nationwide.

If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury or died as the result of an accident at work, please contact our California law firm for expert legal counsel.