Lawsuit Alleges Company Negligence in Flooding Disaster
The family of Johnny Peterson, a Tennessee worker who died during catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his employer, Impact Plastics. The suit claims the company failed to protect its employees and forced them to remain at their posts despite knowing dangerous conditions were imminent. Peterson was one of several employees who lost their lives when the flooding struck the town of Erwin, Tennessee, on September 27.
Tragedy in Eastern Tennessee
Peterson and other Impact Plastics employees were caught in the devastating floodwaters that swept through Erwin, a rural town in eastern Tennessee. Despite receiving flood warnings, the lawsuit claims that company managers delayed sending workers home. It wasn’t until the parking lot began to flood and the power went out that managers instructed employees to leave. By then, it was too late for many.
In total, 11 employees were swept away by the flood, with only five being rescued. Two were confirmed dead, and four others remain missing. The disaster in Erwin was part of a broader tragedy, with nearly 250 deaths across six states.
Family Seeks Justice
The wrongful death suit, filed by Peterson’s family on Monday, names both Impact Plastics and company owner Gerald O’Connor as defendants. It alleges the company had no evacuation plan in place, despite its location in a known flood plain and previous flooding incidents in its parking lot. According to the suit, employees had requested permission to leave as conditions worsened, but their pleas were ignored because the company wanted to meet order deadlines.
“Based on information we’ve uncovered, including accounts from surviving employees, we believe this tragedy could have been avoided,” said Alex Little, the attorney representing the Peterson family. “Impact Plastics was aware of the flood risks, yet failed to act. We will hold them accountable.”
Heartbreaking Final Moments
The lawsuit provides a detailed account of Peterson’s final hours, including chilling text messages exchanged with his family. As floodwaters began to rise, employees were instructed to move their cars from the parking lot. Around 11:35 a.m., senior management reportedly evacuated the building, leaving employees to believe they were dismissed.
However, Peterson returned inside to help co-workers who were still trapped. He eventually became trapped himself as the floodwaters made it impossible to escape by car. In his last moments, Peterson managed to climb onto a semi-trailer in a desperate attempt to survive.
At 1:17 p.m., he sent his daughter a final message: “I love you allllll,” knowing his time was running out. Ten minutes later, he sent his father one last message: “Not for long.”
Company Denies Allegations
Impact Plastics has denied the claims in the lawsuit, stating that they monitored weather conditions on September 27 and dismissed employees when the parking lot began to flood. The company maintains that no workers were forced to stay, and all employees were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the full force of the flood hit the industrial park.
O’Connor, the company owner, has also defended the company’s actions, stating that all safety protocols were followed and that the situation was an unforeseen natural disaster.
