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Brooklyn Forklift Accident Lawyers

Construction Accident Lawyers in Brooklyn Helping People Injured in Forklift Accidents

Forklifts can be seen at most construction sites in Brooklyn. They help lift heavy materials and transport them quickly and efficiently around the job site. However, forklifts are very powerful pieces of equipment, and they can cause serious injuries.

How serious? According to OSHA records, forklifts are implicated in around 85 fatal accidents each year. Hundreds of thousands of construction workers also suffer very serious injuries in forklift accidents, some of whom will be laid up in the hospital for months.

If you were injured on the job, contact our Brooklyn forklift accident lawyers for a case review. You might be entitled to compensation from various sources.

Examples of Forklift Accidents

Forklifts are difficult vehicles to maneuver, and they are much harder to drive than passenger sedans. Forklifts have blind spots and long stopping distances, all the while carrying heavy materials. Common accidents involve:

  • Construction workers struck or run over by a forklift
  • Workers falling off the forklift
  • Materials or debris falling from the forklift on top of construction workers
  • Forklifts overturning

Due to their size, these motor vehicles can cause devastating injuries. Heavy materials can also cause crush injuries, fractures, and spinal cord damage.

Regulations for Forklifts

Forklift accidents have many causes, but one leading cause is probably driver error. Regulations require that operators receive training in how to operate a forklift and that only properly trained and authorized workers actually use it. But some employers skirt these regulations to save money. Other workers could be careless, fatigued, or impaired by drugs or alcohol when using the lift. Consequently, they operate the forklift in a negligent manner.

Sometimes, material is loaded improperly on the lift in violation of OSHA requirements. For example, a load should not be in a tilted forward position, except when the operator is getting ready to dump it. This improper position increases the risk that materials will slide off the forklift and strike workers.

Forklifts should also be examined regularly. If there is an adverse condition, then the lift should be removed from service until it is repaired. Improper or missing maintenance are also leading causes of forklift accidents.

Receiving Compensation for Your Injuries

New York’s workers’ compensation laws prohibit most lawsuits against an employer, even when the employer has violated safety regulations. However, workers can receive workers’ compensation benefits, including wage replacement benefits, when they are injured on the job.

If an entity other than your employer is to blame for the accident, then you should consider a lawsuit. For example, an improperly designed, manufactured, or maintained forklift could cause an accident. Many workers should consider suing the manufacturer or the mechanic who repaired it, provided the mechanic is not employed by the workers’ employer.

Under New York law, lawsuits can be brought for all lost wages, as well as required medical care and any pain and suffering endured. These lawsuits have a vital role to play supplemented New York’s skimpy workers’ compensation benefits.

Schedule a Consultation with a Brooklyn Forklift Accident Attorney Today

The events leading up to an accident might be a blur. By hiring an attorney at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, a construction worker gives himself the best chance at receiving a fair shake. Call us today at 917-268-0344 or fill out this contact form.

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