Machine Malfunctions Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2.9 million workers are injured on the job each year. Nearly 5,000 more suffer a fatality. Many of those injuries and deaths are attributed to machine malfunctions. Learn more about the catastrophic injuries heavy equipment can cause, and what your rights are if you or someone you love has been hurt.

Defective, poorly maintained, or unsafe machinery can cause numerous types of injuries, including scalping, entanglement, facial disfigurement, dismemberment, electrocution, or even falls from the machinery itself. Deaths are common as well, particularly in situations where the machinery has malfunctioned or the employee has fallen into the machine while performing maintenance and/or various work tasks. However, the most common type of machinery-related injury is entanglement. This occurs when the employee’s clothing, jewelry, hair, or body become trapped inside the moving parts of the machine.

On average, machine entanglements account for about 34,000 of all workplace injuries each year. Approximately 12 percent of those injuries were experienced by workers in the manufacturing industry. This industry also makes up the bulk of all machine-related work fatalities (about 41 percent). Agriculture, mining, construction, and waste material industries make up the bulk share of the remaining machine-related injuries and fatalities in the workplace.

While there are many circumstances that may lead to an entanglement or other machinery malfunction injury, some are more common than others. These include inadequate or broken safeguards, improper use of lock-out/tag-out procedures, defective machinery, maintenance failures, and failure to educate and train employees on the safety and proper use of machinery. All of these common causes can be traced back to failure on the part of the employer or machine manufacturer. In such instances, the negligent party may be held liable, and victims may be owed compensation beyond what is offered by workers’ compensation.

Workers’ compensation is designed to protect employers from lawsuits. Unfortunately, it is victims who often pay the price. The coverage is rarely enough to help employees and their families get back on their feet, and those that are disabled may never recover. You may have other options, however. For example, those that are injured because of a manufacturer defect may have a third-party liability claim.

If you or someone you love has been injured on the job and you suspect there may be more to your claim, contact Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, LLP for assistance. Committed to ensuring your family recovers the most compensation possible, we will carefully examine your case to determine your options. Get started by scheduling a consultation. Call our San Jose workplace injury lawyers at (408) 289-1417 today.

• National census of fatal occupational injuries in 2016
• Employer-Reported workplace injuries and illnesses – 2016
• Worker fatalities from being caught in machinery