Family Of Tennessee FedEx Worker Killed On Duty By Forklift Brings Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The family of a Tennessee FedEx worker who was tragically killed while at work by a forklift has filed a wrongful death case in federal court in Tennessee. The family of Jessica James filed the wrongful death lawsuit in late February, which marked the one-year anniversary of the horrific and fatal workplace accident that claimed Ms. James’ life.

In the very early morning hours of February 18, 2022, around 2:00 am, Memphis law enforcement officials responded to an emergency call regarding a “personal injury” that occurred at the FedEx World Hub, which is located in the Memphis International Airport. Law enforcement officials were told at the time that a female FedEx employee had been operating a forklift at the Hub, when an accident involving the forklift occurred, claiming the employee’s life. That employee was Jessica James. Further investigation revealed that Ms. James had been operating the forklift when it got stuck on a ramp, due to one of the rear wheels going over the curb of the ramp. Ms. James exited the forklift and asked for assistance to dislodge the forklift, then she got back into the forklift and put it into reverse to try to move it from its stuck position. However, Ms. James was ejected from the forklift, which then landed on her, ultimately killing her. Surveillance video of the accident shows that there was a dip in the ramp, which caused the forklift wheels to become unstable, leading to Ms. James being thrown from the forklift.

At the time of the accident, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) investigated the accident, and concluded that there were major safety issues at the time of Ms. James’ death: first, FedEx had not removed and replaced damages yard ramps for workers to use; second FedEx failed to provide workers with proper training in the safe operation of forklifts; third, FedEx failed to make sure that all workers properly wore a seatbelt while operating a forklift; and, finally, FedEx failed to ensure that ramps were adequately secured for use by workers. TOSHA fined FedEx $26,000 for the safety violations.

Ms. James’ family is now pursuing their claims in court against FedEx for the death of their loved one. Under Tennessee wrongful death laws, there is a $3.5million cap on compensatory damages. Ms. James’ family seeks the maximum allowable compensation under the law.

Help with a Wrongful Death Case in Louisiana

In Louisiana, the families of workers who have been killed on the job have the same right to bring a wrongful death suit in court. If your loved one was fatally injured on the job due to the negligence of their employer, you may be entitled to money damages under Louisiana wrongful death laws. The experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help you get justice. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe for your free and confidential consultation today.

Source:

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