When you get hurt in a machinery accident at work, you could have multiple routes for securing compensation. These incidents can cause serious injuries and lead to a pile of expensive medical bills, so why shouldn’t you make sure that you hold all liable parties accountable for the harm they caused you? Our Westchester County product liability attorneys can help you with this.
What Are Common Causes of Machinery Accident Claims?
Machinery accidents can have many different causes, but what they all have in common is the propensity to cause serious injuries that affect a victim’s ability to work and live a normal life. Any of the following issues can lead to a machinery accident:
- Issues with how the machine is made, i.e. manufacturing or materials issues
- A lack of maintenance or care
- Missing labels, warnings, or instructions
- Poor training of employees
- Nonexistent or inadequate safety features
- Defective wiring
- No provided PPE
Who is Responsible for a Machinery Accident?
In some cases, no one is responsible for a machinery accident. It’s just an accident. However, sometimes these incidents are caused by negligence. The most common culprit is the manufacturer of the machinery itself.
If a product is causing injuries, the company that makes that product can be held responsible. You can sue them for damages and argue that they made some kind of mistake, leading to your injury.
Can I Get Workers’ Comp After a Machinery Accident?
You can apply for workers’ compensation no matter who was to blame for the machinery accident. You don’t have to prove negligence here. You just have to show that the accident happened at work. So report your injuries to your employer right away, see a doctor, and wait for your employer’s insurance company to get back to you.
Applying for workers’ compensation does not interfere with any other lawsuit. So if you believe that the machinery manufacturer made some kind of mistake and that contributed to your accident, you can still sue them. You can even win damages that workers’ comp does not award, like compensation for pain and suffering.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
We do recommend hiring an attorney if you get hurt in a machinery accident. We can help you with your workers’ compensation application and formulate an appeal if your claim gets rejected.
If you also decide to sue a manufacturer, the burden of proof is quite high. We can help you gather evidence and build a case that shows that this company was negligent. Then we can show how this negligence led to your accident and your injuries.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you were hurt in a machinery accident at work, contact our law firm. The legal team at Hausman & Pendzick can help you learn more about your legal options and what kinds of compensation may be available to you.