industrial accident attorneyAgriculture, construction, mining, and printing are very different industries. However, workers in these industries—and many others—have something in common: they all work with heavy machinery that is necessary for their jobs, but those machines can cause catastrophic accidents.

Types of Industrial Equipment Accidents

Any type of industrial equipment or machinery can be involved in an accident. Depending on your specific job and job responsibilities, the following types of industrial equipment may create a risk for you:

  • Forklifts.
  • Conveyor belts.
  • Drill presses.
  • Power tools.
  • Printing presses.
  • Bulldozers.
  • Cranes.
  • Manufacturing equipment.
  • Processing equipment.
  • Handling equipment.

Problems with these types of industrial equipment—or other kinds of equipment—can result in accidents such as:

  • Workers getting caught in pieces of machinery.
  • Electrocutions.
  • Falls.
  • Fires.
  • Explosions.

Any of these accidents may occur because of:

  • A faulty design.
  • A mistake in manufacturing.
  • A failure to provide detailed instructions or warnings about the risks of the machine.
  • Improper maintenance.
  • A failure to replace a broken or worn machine.
  • A failure to comply with required safety regulations.
  • The machine operator’s negligence.

It takes just one of these causes to result in a devastating accident, injury, or death.

Injuries Suffered in Industrial Equipment Accidents

The specific injuries that are suffered as a result of industrial equipment accidents depend on many different factors including the specific equipment used, how it malfunctioned, and where you were or what you were doing when the accident happened. You may be at risk of injuries such as:

  • Burns.
  • Amputations.
  • Crushed limbs.
  • Broken bones.

In some cases industrial equipment accidents are fatal.

What Is Your Case Worth?

The specific damages that you can recover after an industrial equipment accident depend on the unique consequences that the accident had on your life. You may be able to recover for all of the damage that you have suffered, both the costs you have already incurred and those that you are likely to incur in the future as a direct result of your accident injuries. This includes:

  • Health care costs. Medical expenses such as emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, medical devices, doctor’s office visits, physical therapy, and other rehabilitation therapies may be included in your recovery.
  • Lost income. Any wages, benefits, or income from self-employment that you are unable to earn due to your injury may be part of your recovery. This might be all of your income if you are unable to work at all, or a partial loss of income if you are unable to work the same job or the same hours as you did prior to your injury.
  • Out-of-pocket expenses. Any costs that you can prove occurred because of the industrial equipment accident may be part of your recovery. If your loved one died in an industrial equipment accident, then this could include funeral costs.
  • Pain and suffering. Your physical pain and your emotional suffering may be significant. Although they are hard to value, there is evidence that you can provide to establish the cost of these damages.

Workers who are hurt or the survivors of workers who have been killed in industrial equipment accidents may have a legal claim to recover these damages against the product manufacturer, against a subcontractor, or against another party. In order to turn this legal claim into a fair recovery, you will need to take action.

How to Get a Fair Recovery After an Industrial Equipment Accident

The company that you are suing has a lot at stake. It is likely going to mount an aggressive defense, and it will be well represented by counsel. Thus, you are going to have to be prepared for what comes next. That begins with a full investigation into the cause of your accident so that you can pursue legal action against the party or parties that were truly responsible for the accident and so that you have the necessary evidence to prove your claim.

Your recovery will come either through a settlement or in court. While many cases can be resolved through a settlement, there are times when a fair settlement is not possible. The insurance company wants to pay you as little as possible for your claim and will work hard to get you to settle for a lower amount than you deserve. Once you accept a settlement, it is binding, and it will prevent you from recovering additional damages in the future. For this reason, it is important to make sure that the settlement is fair before you accept it and to work with an experienced attorney who will advise you as to whether to take the settlement offer or proceed to trial. While there are costs and benefits of going to trial, you want to make sure that you work with a lawyer who is not afraid to try a case if it means getting you the recovery that you deserve.

Be Careful When Choosing an Industrial Equipment Injury Lawyer

At Case Barnett Law, our goal is not to get as many cases as possible. Instead, we provide personalized attention to each and every client. When you hire us to represent you in an industrial equipment accident, you will be supported by a team of at least two lawyers, a paralegal, a case manager, a project planner, and a client care specialist. This team will work with you from the time that you contact us until your case is resolved.

You can count on us to listen to your story, to take the time to understand how your injuries impact your life, and to fully explain our costs and what is happening in your case.

We encourage you to get to know us before you decide which attorney to hire. Let us answer your questions and learn more about what happened to you. Let us explain how we can help you. Call us anytime and schedule a free consultation at your convenience so that we can discuss your fair recovery after an industrial accident.

Case C. Barnett
Costa Mesa Personal Injury Attorney practicing in child injury law, car accident injuries and elder abuse law