Tyson is Exposing Thousands of Employees to COVID-19

Everyone around the world is being impacted by the effects of COVID-19 with many people working from home. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to do so. Their job requires them to be on-site. For these workers, their employer has a duty to provide a safe and healthy work environment. When they do not, as is the case with Tyson Foods, they should be held liable.

Tyson Foods’ Lack of Adequate Workers’ Compensation

Tyson is notorious for failing to provide a healthy and safe work environment for their employees. Under the current pandemic, Tyson is potentially exposing thousands of employees to the coronavirus with a known risk of death. Not only is Tyson Foods offering insufficient safety measures to protect their employees' health during the coronavirus health pandemic, but they are doing so without a sufficient protection plan in place. Tyson Foods doesn’t offer worker’s compensation. Rather, they have their own “fake” program, which stacks the deck against the workers and their families. 

When a Tyson employee falls ill or gets injured, they will be disheartened to learn that they will not be granted reasonable compensation nor protection. At VB Attorneys, we believe Tyson should be held accountable and we have had success fighting for the rights of Tyson Foods employees that are injured, sick, or have passed away as a result of their negligence.

Tyson Foods and the Spread of COVID-19

With the rise of COVID-19, meat processing plants are one of the hot-spots for spreading the coronavirus among employees and their families. While Tyson Foods briefly closed their plants to sanitize and test their employees, they resumed normal operations in accordance with President Trump’s executive order on April 18th. His executive order reopened meat processing plants that had been shut down in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. 

The CDC released guidelines for workers in meatpacking industries, which detailed how employees' work environments contribute substantially to their potential exposure to the coronavirus. These guidelines make it clear that it is essential for companies to take the necessary precautions to protect their employees. However, Tyson Foods has not properly assisted their employees who have contracted the disease in the line of duty. 

Tyson Foods’ workers’ compensation benefits are nonexistent and do not protect those employees who have contracted COVID-19, or even worse, their families if they have passed away as a result of the virus.

To date, at least 30 meat workers have died of coronavirus and more than 10,000 have been infected or exposed. Tyson Foods attributes the high infection rates to aggressive testing. Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, states, “there is no other industry or community that is monitoring their people as diligently as we are, except maybe healthcare.” 

This is simply not true. While they are testing and monitoring their employees, that is not the explanation for the increase in coronavirus infections and deaths. Tyson Foods needs to be held accountable for their lack of protection and doubly so for their lack of proper workers’ compensation benefits.

Our Community Is At Risk

The coronavirus has spread at more than twice the national rate in the rural areas of the United States that host major meatpacking plants in the first week after President Trump issued his executive order directing that they be reopened. Many of these meatpacking plants are located far away from initial hot spots, especially throughout Texas, yet they have recently become epicenters of the virus.

With locations in Amarillo, Carthage, Center, Dallas, Fort Worth, Haltom City, Houston, North Richland Hills, Seguin, and Sherman, Tyson Foods is infecting several communities throughout Texas and causing the further spread of COVID-19. Without proper attention and care, more people are likely going to spread the disease, fall ill, or even worse, die. 

We have handled many cases against Tyson Foods in the past, recovering millions of dollars for employees and their families. We also represent workers who lost family members due to Tyson Foods’ needlessly exposing them to COVID-19. Our team is here to fight for the rights of you and your loved ones.

Tyson Foods’ Lack of Attention

The coronavirus health pandemic is not the first time that Tyson Foods has not properly prepared their employees and put safety first. Tyson Foods has found itself in several non-subscriber lawsuits filed by injured or sick employees. Employees are at risk for salmonella poisoning, injuries caused by faulty production line equipment, respiratory illnesses, and irritations, among many others. Each time, employees are left worried about the future of their livelihood because they learn that their workers’ compensation benefits are practically nonexistent. 

Contact Tyson Lawsuit Lawyers

At VB Attorneys, we have experience fighting for the rights of Tyson Foods employees. We have done it before and we will do it again. We refuse to allow innocent and hardworking individuals to get taken advantage of. We have recovered millions of dollars for Tyson Foods employees and their families. And we will work tirelessly to do the same for you. 

If you work for Tyson foods and have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have suffered from any kind of work-related injury it is important that you contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible as you may be entitled to compensation. VB Attorneys has decades of experience battling Tyson and big companies alike. Call 713-224-7800 or click here to contact us.