An appellate ruling has opened the door for the mother of a man killed by a co-worker during work hours to pursue a wrongful-death complaint in Rockdale County State Court, rather than through the State Board of Workers' Compensation.

The Georgia Court of Appeals found the Georgia Workers' Compensation Act did not bar the wrongful-death action by plaintiff Deborah Simmons on behalf of her dead son, Taurus Andrews. And as a result, it reversed a dismissal motion granted by Rockdale County State Judge Richard R. Read to defendant Solo Cup Operating Corp.