Injuries From Dangerous Equipment
Construction workers deal with a lot of dangers every day, but one of the more prevalent safety threats comes from construction equipment. While the nature of construction work often calls for large and powerful equipment, some job site tools present an unnecessary threat to workers' lives and limbs.
Construction equipment that commonly causes serious workplace injuries includes:
- Drills
- Tampers
- Jackhammers
- Industrial saws: table saws, rotary saws, concrete saws, abrasive saws, jigsaws, scroll saws and band saws
- Large job site vehicles: cranes, dump trucks, bulldozers, road graders, front loaders, backhoe loaders and excavators
- Smaller job site vehicles: skid steers, forklifts and compact excavators
At Simon Eisenberg & Baum, we are skilled at uncovering the cause of a construction worker's injuries and helping him or her explore all potential avenues of compensation.
The Causes of Construction Equipment Injuries
Construction equipment needs to be powerful enough to get the job done, but flaws or defects can present an unreasonable danger to workers. Because of the serious harm that construction equipment presents, equipment manufacturers have a duty to make their products reasonably safe. When manufacturers fail to meet their duty, workers can suffer serious injuries or death.
Some of the causes of construction equipment injuries include:
- Manufacturing defects: The piece of equipment contains a dangerous defect from a mistake in the manufacturing process.
- Design defects: The manufacturer failed to adequately consider user safety when designing the product, making it unnecessarily dangerous.
- Warning defects: When a safety feature cannot be feasibly implemented into equipment, manufacturers need to boldly warn users of a safety hazard.
- Inadequate maintenance: Employers have a duty to regularly inspect and maintain construction equipment. Businesses that rent or lease equipment often have duties to maintain their equipment, too.
- Worn or broken equipment: When equipment breaks or becomes worn, employers have a duty to sufficiently repair or replace the hazardous equipment.
- Improper use: There is a right tool for every job. Sometimes employers expect their workers to use the wrong tool to save time or money; this often results in avoidable injury.
Sometimes, it is difficult to immediately know the cause of a construction accident. A detailed investigation by a government agency or personal injury attorney often uncovers dangers that were unknown by construction workers.
How an NY Construction Accident Lawyer Can Help
At Simon Eisenberg & Baum, our attorneys have decades of experience helping injured construction workers. We are skilled with all phases of a construction injury claim, including:
- Assessing and documenting the worker's injuries and symptoms
- Investigating the accident to uncover all potential causes and at-fault parties
- Exploring all potential sources of compensation, including workers' compensation claims and third-party liability lawsuits
- Litigation strategy
- Courtroom advocacy
- Negotiating for full compensation
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed by unsafe construction equipment, contact us to speak with an experienced New York construction accident lawyer. We offer free initial consultations and bill on a contingent fee basis — you won't have to pay us unless we win your case.
