Common Types of Heavy Equipment Accidents
Heavy equipment and machinery are commonly used in industrial facilities, warehouses, construction sites, and manufacturing plants. Due to their size, weight, and the nature of tasks they perform, these machines need to be handled with a great deal of care and caution.
Unfortunately, heavy equipment accidents are common – particularly in the construction industry. These accidents often result in catastrophic and life-threatening injuries, which can leave the victims disabled, dismembered, or disfigured.
What Are the Most Common Types of Heavy Equipment Used in Construction and Industrial Settings?
- Backhoes
- Bulldozers
- Cranes
- Compactors
- Dump trucks
- Forklifts
- Excavators
- Loaders
- Trenchers
What Are the Most Common Types of Heavy Equipment Accidents?
- Getting pinned against a wall or any stationary object by heavy equipment
- Getting stuck or caught in and dragged along by heavy equipment
- Getting rolled over or crushed by heavy equipment
- Falling from a platform attached to heavy equipment
- Getting hit by heavy equipment
- Getting struck by a moving part of a heavy machine
- Getting caught or stuck between the moving parts of a heavy machine
- Getting struck by a heavy object or dropped load from a heavy machine
- Falling while assembling or dissembling heavy machinery
- Getting electrocuted while operating a heavy machine or while working on a platform attached to a heavy machine due to accidental contact with a power line
What Are the Common Causes of Heavy Equipment Accidents?
- Failing to provide workers with the protective equipment they need
- Failing to educate and train workers on how to assemble, disassemble, repair, and operate heavy equipment
- Failing to provide fall protection and rollover protection systems for workers
- Failing to assemble and install heavy equipment properly
- Failing to follow proper lockout/tagout protocols
- Improper loading and unloading procedures
- Lack of proper communication between heavy equipment operators and other workers on the site
- Lack of machine guards and other safety features in heavy equipment
- Lack of repair and maintenance
- Human error (while assembling, installing, operating, or repairing heavy equipment)
What Kind of Compensation Is a Worker Entitled to after a Heavy Equipment Accident?
If you are injured in a heavy equipment accident, you can file a workers’ compensation claim and collect benefits. Workers’ compensation claims are not fault-based claims, which means you can receive compensation even if you were at fault for the accident.
On the other hand, if the accident was caused by negligence or breach of duty by a third party, you can file a tort claim against them and recover compensatory damages.
Third parties that can be held liable for a heavy equipment accident include:
- Sub-contractors and general contractors
- Property owners
- Suppliers
- Equipment manufacturer
- Company or contractor responsible for equipment repair and maintenance
Top-Rated Construction Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight for You!
At the Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff, we know how catastrophic heavy equipment accidents can be. If you have been injured in a heavy equipment accident, we can help you file a workers’ compensation claim and make sure you receive all the benefits you are entitled to in a timely manner.
We can also investigate your accident, find out if any third party can be held liable for your injuries, and sue them if needed to recover compensatory damages. Our construction accident lawyers bring over 100 years of combined legal experience to the table and can get results that most others cannot.
Call us today at 212-962-1020 or get in touch with us using our online contact form and schedule a free consultation with one of our construction accident attorneys.