A devastating workplace accident at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas has resulted in the death of a 24-year-old employee and prompted a gross negligence lawsuit from his grieving family. Angel Rojas was killed when a concrete burial vault, weighing approximately 2,500 pounds, fell and trapped him at the workplace. The incident, now under scrutiny by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), centers on allegations that the young father was performing the dangerous task entirely alone.
According to statements from the family’s legal team, the fundamental failure was a lack of proper staffing and supervision. Attorney Matthew Graham publicly questioned why Angel was operating heavy machinery and moving objects of such extreme weight without a coworker present to assist or spot him. “He shouldn’t have been working alone,” Graham stated, framing the incident as a preventable tragedy born from a failure to follow basic safety protocols for high-risk material handling.
The human toll of the accident was captured in a final, desperate phone call. While crushed and struggling to breathe, Angel Rojas called his wife, Nataly Galaviz. She later shared that his voicemail contained his pleas for help and his expression of love for his family. First responders worked for forty-five minutes to free him from beneath the vault using hydraulic tools, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Restland Funeral Home has issued a brief public statement, expressing sadness over the loss of a “long-standing valued employee” and confirming their cooperation with the official investigation. However, this has done little to assuage the family’s grief or their pursuit of accountability. The lawsuit seeks to uncover the specific working conditions that led to the accident and to ensure that systemic changes are made to protect other employees.
Angel Rojas leaves behind his wife and a young son who will grow up without his father. The case highlights the ongoing issue of workplace safety in industries that handle heavy materials and raises critical questions about employer responsibility. As the legal and investigative processes move forward, the family’s loss stands as a somber reminder of the consequences when safety is not made the absolute priority in any workplace.
