Lawyers in the Field

Abstract

The weather during the harvest season in Virginia can be brutal. During one of the worst heat waves in decades, with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, we were notified about a farmworker named Juan who had died in the field. We left immediately for the camp to speak with other workers about the circumstances. The day before, the grower had been visited and warned by an official about failing to provide drinking water and cups for the workers, not the first time he had received warnings of field negligence. Even on days when water was available, access could be difficult. When the water truck would drive by, workers in the field had to quickly grab one of the vegetables they were picking, cut it in half to use as a drinking cup, and run after the water truck before it left for the adjoining field. We also learned about the implicit understanding between this man's crewleader and the workers: choosing when to take a rest on your own meant no work the following day. You would also be one step closer to being blacklisted from future employment. When Juan had finally reached his physical limit that day, he asked for some time to rest inside the bus, but it was too late. He later died at the hospital from what appeared to be the effects of heat exhaustion. It remains to be seen whether Juan's family will receive any compensation.