Construction Tool Malfunctions

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 75% of “struck-by” fatalities on the job involve heavy equipment (such as trucks and cranes). Additionally, according to documents provided by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), workers can also become caught, pinched, or compressed in running machinery—even when it is functioning correctly. In light of this information, it’s easy to see the importance of ensuring that equipment and tools are not only used properly, but also that they are checked to confirm that they are functioning properly on the job. For example, OSHA recommends checking vehicles before each shift to make sure that all parts and controls are in good, working order.

While OSHA asserts that employers must ensure they use the right tools for the job, keep said tools in good, functioning condition, and observe a previously-established equipment safety plan, occasionally individuals or employers will fail to adhere to these safety standards, and workers may unfortunately become the victims of serious tool malfunction/defective equipment injuries.

Injuries caused by construction accidents - tool malfunctions and/or defective equipment - can lead to more than just the obvious physical distress. Workers who have been injured by malfunctioning or defective equipment on the job may be subject to legal challenges, difficulty maintaining a household due to lost wages from being out of work, and numerous insurance company dealings and complications with the payment of medical bills and physical therapies for injuries such as:

• Broken Bones
• Amputations
• Paralysis (sometimes permanent)
• Concussions
• Skull Fractures
• Traumatic Brain Injury (sometimes potentially permanent damage)
• Internal Injuries
• Lacerations
• Burns (sometimes with permanent scarring)
• …and more.

It is important for an injured worker to seek the help of an educated, experienced lawyer when dealing with the repercussions of a serious construction tool malfunction and/or defective equipment injury. When facing legal, financial, and medical difficulties, a lawyer can be an excellent resource for advice and navigation through such challenges, and can also represent injured parties in court and on paper when seeking appropriate compensation beyond the minimums of worker’s compensation benefits.

If you've been injured in an accident due to faulty construction tools, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587). Mr. Cunningham works on your side to get you the compensation you and your family deserve after an accident.