Manufacturing plants, construction sites, metalworking plants, and warehouses are the top industries where workers are required to work with various tools and machinery daily. These pieces of machinery and tools, such as nail guns, presses, boilers, drills, power saws, forklifts, polishing machines, cranes, mixers, backhoes, etc., help workers do a wide variety of tasks more efficiently, quickly, and safely.
On the other hand, if workers don’t follow proper safety protocols, are not trained properly, or machines malfunction, it can result in catastrophic or fatal injuries.
How Workers Get Injured in South Florida Machinery Accidents
Osha reports that machinery accidents account for approximately 18,000 amputations, abrasions, lacerations, and crushing injuries, and more than 800 deaths annually in the U.S. When heavy machinery or those with sharp and moving parts are defective or not used properly, even a seemingly simple mistake or oversight can cause a life-changing machinery accident. These are examples of the common causes of machinery accidents:
- Poor lighting conditions
- Inadequate training
- Inadequate safety protocols
- Lack of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Operator fatigue
- Defective or malfunctioning machinery
- Failure to supervise
- Improperly maintained machinery
Employers are legally responsible for making sure that all the equipment and machinery their workers use are working properly, and the workplace is free from safety hazards. They are also obligated to provide adequate protective gear appropriate for the job assigned to the worker and make sure that workers receive safety training.
However, even when workers and employers follow proper safety precautions, machinery accidents can still happen due to defective machinery or a manufacturer’s failure to provide proper operation instructions or safety warnings. In such cases, injured workers may bring a lawsuit based on product liability against the machinery manufacturer.
Common Injuries Resulting From South Florida Machinery Accidents
Machinery accidents can result in various injuries, from simple bruises and cuts to potentially fatal injuries, even death, depending on the type of machinery involved in the accident. Sadly, most of the injuries are preventable. Common injuries resulting from machinery accidents include the following:
- Bruises, scrapes, and lacerations
- Concussions
- Fractured bones
- Crushed fingers, hands, feet, or limbs
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Internal organ damage
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Nerve damage
- Electrical burns
- Death
In addition to potentially fatal physical injuries, workers who have been injured in South Florida machinery accidents also face costly medical bills, a lengthy recovery process, lost earnings, reduced quality of life, emotional trauma, and other related losses.
Seek Legal Advice From Our Seasoned South Florida Machinery Accident Lawyers Now
Injuries stemming from machinery accidents can be physically, emotionally, and financially debilitating. If employers fail to train their workers properly or a piece of machinery has an unexpected defect, injured workers can hold their employers or other parties legally responsible for the losses they suffered in a machinery accident.
Your employer’s
workers’ compensation insurance coverage covers work injury-related medical costs and lost earnings, as well as death benefits for family members whose loved one was killed in a machinery accident. In most cases, however, workers comp benefits are not enough to cover an injured worker’s full spectrum of losses.
Please reach out to the South Florida machinery accident lawyers at
Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa right away to discover the best options for your situation after getting injured in a machinery accident. We know full well how paying for expensive medical bills and being out of work can lead to financial struggles. When you work with our South Florida machinery accident lawyers, we will fight for your legal rights and make sure you obtain the benefits and compensation you are entitled to.
Arrange your free case evaluation with our South Florida machinery accident lawyer by contacting us
online or calling 561-478-2500.
