Equipment Injuries On The Job

Injuries at work can happen for a wide range of reasons, from the negligence of a co-worker or an employer to defects impacting tools or machinery that are required to do a job. Equipment injuries at various types of workplaces are more common than you might think, and it is important to understand how these injuries happen and what you will need to do in order to seek workers’ compensation coverage. Our Sunrise workers’ compensation lawyers can tell you more about equipment injuries, and we are here to help you with your workers’ compensation case.

Learning More About Workplace Equipment Injuries 

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), contact with objects and equipment is one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. Indeed, in 2021, a total of 705 workers died as a result of contact with objects and equipment, and more than 196,000 suffered workplace injuries. The NSC cites the following as the most common circumstances under which equipment results in workplace injuries:

• Worker strikes or comes into contact with equipment and suffers an injury;
• Part of a workers’ body is “squeezed, punched, compressed, or crushed in equipment”;
• Worker is struck by a piece of equipment, which may be a falling object or a moving machine;
• Worker suffers a friction-related injury or pressure-related injury resulting from prolonged contact with equipment; and/or
• Worker is injured by the vibration of workplace equipment.

When equipment-related injuries occur on the job, the following are the most common types of injuries:

• Cuts or lacerations;
• Bruises or contusions;
• Bone fractures or broken bones;
• Sprains or strains or tears;
• Puncture wounds; and
• Traumatic amputations.

Equipment-related injuries can happen in various types of industries, from construction to retail to food services.

When Equipment Injuries Result from Product Defects 

Sometimes work-related injuries result from equipment defects. When a defect is the reason that an accident and injury occurred, in addition to seeking workers’ compensation, the injured worker also could be eligible to file a product liability lawsuit against the designer or manufacturer, or sometimes the retailer, of the defective equipment.

To determine whether you could be eligible to file a lawsuit in addition to your workers’ compensation claim, you should get in touch with an attorney who has experience handling workers’ compensation cases in Florida.

Contact a Sunrise Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today 

Suffering any type of injury at work can be devastating, especially when it requires extensive medical care and prevents you from being able to go to work and earn a living. Workers’ compensation coverage can help by providing you with wage replacement benefits and coverage for your medical care during this difficult time. Depending upon the particular circumstances of your case and how workplace equipment caused your injury, you may also be eligible to file a lawsuit to seek additional compensation from the company that made the equipment. One of the experienced Sunrise workers’ compensation attorneys at the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. can talk with you today to learn more about your case and to advise you of your options.

Sources:

injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/contact-with-objects-and-equipment/

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/0440.html