Heavy Equipment Accidents are a Leading Cause of Workplace Injuries in New York

In the construction field, there are dangers all around you. Anything from a small hand drill to a towering crane can be extremely dangerous when someone is negligent and does not follow proper usage guidelines. Naturally, the larger and more complicated heavy equipment are often involved, making them a leading cause of workplace injuries in New York City. If you find yourself seriously hurt by such equipment, a skilled New York litigator like those at Proner & Proner can help legally fight for you in court to get your medical bills, lost wages, and other costs covered. Contact the heavy equipment accident work injury lawyers at Proner & Proner today for a free consultation.

Contact Proner & Proner today for a quality NYC litigator to help with your construction accident claim!

Heavy Machinery and Scenarios Often Involved in Workplace Construction Accidents in Brooklyn, New York

There are a lot of different types of machinery used in a construction worker’s day to day that can be classified as heavy equipment. They all serve different purposes for construction or demolishing buildings, such as transporting, lifting, or placing materials. Commonly seen types of heavy equipment involved in construction accidents in NYC include:

• Loaders
• Scrapers
• Dozers
• Cranes
• Graders
• Backhoes
• Forklifts
• Cable plows
• Compactors
• Mixers
• American Augers
• Logging equipment
• Haul trucks

Regardless of the type of heavy equipment that is used, any can pose a serious threat to an employee when mishandled. The following are some of the most commonly seen incidents involving heavy machinery in construction zones:

• Getting caught between vehicles backing up (this is especially the case with large onsite vehicles with large blind spots)
• Getting pinned by a heavy machine
• Getting struck by falling, flying, or discharged objects
• Getting caught and dragged along
• Getting struck by moving or rolling over machinery
• Getting crushed under collapsing structures
• Falling when getting on or off machinery

Common Causes of Heavy Equipment Accidents in Designated NYC Construction Zones

Larger and heavier construction machinery nowadays are much more sophisticated and advanced, with the ability to be a multitude of different important tasks. Naturally, these machines only work properly when those that man them operate them correctly. There is a massive list of guidelines and rules laid out by the OSHA for any heavy equipment to ensure that a worker handles them properly. Unfortunately, the complexity of these machines and the nature of the job can often result in fatigued or unskilled individuals operating them, resulting in serious injuries and tragic, unnecessary loss of life.

The following is a list of the common mistakes made by construction workers that result in heavy equipment accidents:

• Improper handling or straight up negligence due to fatigue, being under the influence, or not being properly trained.
• Failure to properly store heavy equipment when not in use.
• Trying to handle a load heavier than the maximum capacity for the equipment
• Failure to properly and regularly inspect a piece of equipment.
• Failure to park stationary equipment on level ground.
• Not taking down tall, heavy equipment like cranes or attempting to do heavy lifting jobs during 30 MPH winds or stronger
• Failing to fully assess blind spots and locations of surrounding employees when operating.

The Dangers of Construction Accidents Involving Heavier Equipment for New York City Employees

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a report that found that around half of all construction industry fatalities find heavy equipment at least partially to blame. Not only does heavy equipment also claim the lives of many, but also often severely hurts many more.

Common serious injuries associated with heavy machinery in the construction industry include:

• Traumatic brain injuries including concussions
• Debilitating back and spinal injuries
• Paralysis, total or partial
• Limb amputation
• Damage to internal organs resulting from crush injuries
• Blunt trauma injuries
• Disfigurement
• Coma

Workmans’ Compensation and the Heavy Machinery Accident Clause in New York

Not only is the equipment involved in many construction accidents heavy, but so too is the financial strain brought upon the victim. Families that lose a loved one also have other costs such as funeral costs and emotional strain due to grief and mourning. New York Workers’ Compensation is in place to cover such incidents, however, they do not always fully cover all the costs incurred from the accident.

A quality attorney can help a heavy equipment accident victim get full coverage under the right circumstances. It is always recommended that you consult a lawyer with a construction accident claim, even when Workers Compensation covers the medical bills. This is because an attorney can often help a client assess the full scope of his or her costs both financial and non-monetary and proceed from there to help a client get full coverage. Contact the experienced workers’ compensation lawyers at Proner & Proner today for a free consultation with your heavy machinery accident case.

Regulation Failures, Heavy Machinery Negligence, and a New York Construction Worker’s Right to Sue

Another way Proner & Proner can help an injured client get full financial compensation for their heavy equipment accident injuries is when a contractor, manager, or inspector fail to follow OSHA safety guidelines and regulations. Regular maintenance and inspection of heavy machinery is required by New York State law in order to assure proper functionality and safe usage for construction employees on the job.

It is also the job of a supervisor or a construction company owner to take precautions in order to prevent unnecessary safety risks to their employees. These duties can include such things as having properly labelled equipment, warning and hazard signs, proper training and usage demonstrations, and making sure to have such equipment serviced on a regular basis.

Failure to comply with OSHA regulations or negligent and complete disregard for worker safety can be grounds for a lawsuit for negligence when Workman’s Compensation does not properly cover an injured New York client. Proner & Proner can send out investigators to assess the condition of equipment, take witness accounts, and fully gather information about the incident in which you were injured. Our attorney can then take a supervisor, contractors, property owner, or other negligent party to court to help you get the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Contact Proner & Proner for a Free Initial Consult to Legally Assess Your Next Best Steps with Your Heavy Equipment Accident Claim in NYC

If you have been injured in a heavy equipment accident, chances are that it a quite serious infliction and that your medical bills are uncomfortable high. Not only can the attorneys of Proner & Proner guide you through the proper steps regarding your injury and Workman’s Compensation, but they can also help investigate the incident and the full scope of your financial and non-monetary costs to get the most out of your claim. When your employer’s insurance isn’t enough, Proner & Proner can help argue your case and help you get the compensation you need. Contact us online today to get started. We have offices in New York, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and throughout the state of New York. We have also represented clients suffering accidents throughout the United States.