Ramos Law Firm Workers' Comp Blog » Hispanic workers

Ramos attends GALEO Hispanic Heritage Month Luncheon

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:20:49 +0000

On October 9, 2009, Bryan Ramos, the managing workers’ compensation attorney, attended the Georgia Association of Latin Elected Officials (GALEO) Hispanic Heritage Month Luncheon at the Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The keynote speaker was Juan Andrade, Ph.D., president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute. Other notable attendees were Former Governor, Roy Barnes; DeKalb State Court Judge, J. Antonio DelCampo; and representatives from Senator Johnny Isakson’s office.

“Dr. Andrade has clarified the significant impact that Latinos have in our economy and culture,” commented Bryan Ramos. “There is no denying that the Latino and Hispanic workers have contributed to Georgia. The contributions these workers have on the daily economy are substantial,” Ramos further stated.

For more information, please contact the Ramos Law Firm.

Gainesville, Georgia Poultry Farm Fined for Endangering Workers

Bryan Ramos — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:17:08 +0000

The local poultry plant, Mar-Jac, in Gainesville Georgia was recently fined almost $380,000 by OSHA. OSHA proposed $379,800 in penalties against Mar-Jac Poultry Inc., of Gainsville, Georgia, for safety and health violations. The company was cited with four willful violations with a proposed penalty of $252,000. Mar-Jac Poultry has also failed to perform required compliance audits. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.

Additionally, Mar-Jac Poultry was cited with 37 serious safety and health violations with $127,800 in proposed penalties. The safety hazards included:

a failure to place proper machine guarding,
uncovered floor holes,
obstructed emergency exit routes,
a lockout/tagout device not being affixed to electrical disconnect, and
portable fire extinguishers not being readily available.

It was also cited for failing to develop an emergency response plan for employees responding to ammonia emergencies. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

One day after receiving almost $400,000 in penalties from citations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Mar-Jac Poultry released a statement disputing the violations as “unfounded” and said it intends to contest them.

At the Ramos Law Firm, we have represented many injured workers who were at similar poultry or chicken processing plants. If you have been injured, contact the Ramos Law Firm for a free consultation.

Attorneys Contribute Time In Educating Latino Community About Workers’ Compensation Rights

Gail Bailey — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:32:35 +0000

In conjunction with the Georgia State Bar and the YLD’s Minorities In the Profession Committee, the Ramos Law Firm organized and presented “Law Day” to the Latin American Association in Atlanta, Georgia on June 27, 2009. The event was designed to provide an educational forum to spread awareness in the Latino community about their legal rights. Bryan Ramos, the founder and principal of the Ramos Law Firm, presented a seminar on the “Essential Elements of Workers’ Compensation” which was aimed at the specific obstacles particular to the Hispanic worker. Other seminars covered areas including immigration, family, criminal, and consumer law. Additionally, representatives from the Atlanta Legal Aid, Injured Workers’ Pharmacy, Georgia Legal Services, and the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless participated in the event.

According to Adriana Sola Capifali, the event chairperson and workers’ compensation associate at the Ramos Law Firm, the participation was “ten times that of prior events.” Through these efforts, she hopes to further the mission of “representing Hispanic workers and preventing any unfair exploitation.” The attorneys at the Ramos Law Firm have handled hundreds of claims including spinal cord injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee and shoulder pain, amputation injuries, and neurological trauma.

The Latin American Association helps Latino families achieve their aspirations for their academic, social and economic development. The Association accomplishes this through direct programs and integrated community partnerships that focus on youth academic achievement, education and prevention, and services to families with urgent needs.

For more information, please contact Adriana Sola Capifali at the Ramos Law Firm.