It may be true that workplace accidents are sometimes caused by the carelessness of the worker. However, often the real culprit for the injury is poorly maintained or faulty equipment, and the worker is not to blame at all. There are several ways that defective equipment can result in serious workplace injuries that can diminish or even destroy a worker’s ability to provide for their family, leaving them no choice but to seek compensation for their injuries through a lawsuit.
Most common defective equipment-related workplace accidents
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps track of the main causes of both fatal and nonfatal accidents in workplaces across the country. Looking at 2020’s yearly nonfatal accident report, we can see that many thousands of workers suffer injures caused by equipment not functioning the way that it should.
1,460 workers were injured from falling off of collapsing structures or equipment, while 230 more were crushed under falling structures. 32,690 workers suffered injuries from handheld equipment, such as tools that break in their hand. These are just some of the many ways that malfunctioning equipment can result in injury or death.
What are your options if this happens to you?
Your employer is immune from suit for workplace accidents in most situations. This is because the law requires them to carry workers’ compensation insurance, which you can use to cover the costs of your injury and meet your needs while you are recovering from your injury.
However, if your injury was the direct result of a design defect in a tool or piece of equipment, then it’s possible that you may be able to pursue a products liability suit against the manufacturer of the equipment. This means that you would seek compensation for an injury resulting from a flaw in the product’s design, manufacturing process or warnings.
A workplace accident that leaves you with a serious disability is always devastating, especially when it came about through no fault of your own. Defective or poorly maintained equipment and tools cause far too many injuries to American workers every year. Fortunately, the legal system gives them opportunities to seek redress for their injuries.