Employees working on or around forklifts are at risk of being struck or caught between the vehicle's moving parts. Some workers can also be harmed if goods or components fall on them from atop the equipment. Regardless of their causes, these accidents can be catastrophic, causing serious bodily harm in some cases and impacting your working ability adversely. If this happens, you may have a right to take legal action and pursue compensation. This is especially so if you suffer the injuries discussed below.
Severe Injuries Caused by Forklifts
Forklifts may cause different accidents that result in injuries to different body parts. Some include deep cuts, lacerations, punctures, muscle sprains, strains, and tears. The machine can also cause life-threatening injuries like bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. These harms may make you spend weeks or months away from work as you undergo treatment. Consequently, you may experience financial stress because you might be unable to pay your medical expenses and provide for your family.
For this reason, you may consider pursuing compensation to enable you to get medical care and give your family the financial provision they need. To help in this, a work injury attorney can evaluate your case to determine whether you're eligible for compensation. For example, you might be entitled to workers' compensation benefits if you were involved in a collision because of a lack of proper supervision. In such a case, your employer may be liable for failing to supervise operations to ensure safe machine operations. Third parties might also be responsible for your injuries if the accident happened because the forklift was faulty.
How to Pursue Payments After an Injury
The first step in pursuing payments for your injuries should be seeking treatment. This will enable you to get a medical report proving that a forklift caused your injuries. After treatment, hire an attorney to investigate the accident and gather the evidence needed to hold the offenders accountable. They will record statements from witnesses who witnessed the incident and gather evidence at the accident scene. They may also get expert witnesses to examine the forklift and determine why it malfunctioned. This information will help you get a favorable payment.
Forklifts are one of the most useful machines for many companies. However, they can cause life-altering injuries that might leave you bedridden for a long time. If this happens, a worker's compensation attorney can help you to get compensation to cater for your losses.
Contact a local workers' compensation attorney to learn more.
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