The family of a Texas meat-cutter who died from COVID-19 is suing Tyson Foods for wrongful death.
Pwar Gay died on May 8 after an outbreak at the company’s Amarillo plant.
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The lawsuit was filed on May 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Amarillo Division) by Gay’s husband, children, and a representative for her estate.
Gay worked at the meatpacking plant for eight years.
The lawsuit claims that she kept going to work after a stay-at-home order was imposed on April 1 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gay allegedly slipped and fell, hurting her knees in the process while on the job. Tyson Foods is said to have sent her to its clinic for first aid treatment and then sent her back to her duties.
It is alleged that although Gay’s knee was painful and swollen, she was not allowed to go home or seek medical attention because the plant was short-staffed.
She continued working and then developed breathing difficulties because of a COVID-19 infection.
Gay was hospitalized for several weeks because of the knee injury and COVID-19.
The lawsuit says at least 4,500 Tyson Foods employees developed COVID-19 and at least 18 of them died.
The company is being accused of failing to provide its employees with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and not enabling social distancing.
The lawsuit also alleges that Tyson Foods showed “malicious and grossly negligent conduct” as well as “callous disregard for the safety of its employees”.
As of May 30, Texas had recorded 54, 509 cases of COVID-19.
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