The first step you must take when facing a forklift accident is to contact an attorney. But let us first discuss what a forklift accident is. A forklift is powerful machinery, and accidents can occur irrespective of whether you are working on it. Even if the accident is non-fatal, it takes days and weeks to recover. According to recent reports, the deaths from such accidents are 1.6 per week.
This might sound like a rare incident to a layman, but forklift accidents are common. In recent years there have been more than 8500 incidents of forklift accidents in the US, which is quite a huge number.
Why Do These Accidents Happen?
Considering their weight and size, forklifts are risky machinery to operate on, and these accidents can happen in countless ways. However, a few common reasons lead to such an accident. People affected by such accidents can be drivers, pedestrians, or any other worker in that area, and forklift accident attorneys help with quick fixing. With time some common reasons have been decoded regarding these types of accidents :
- Need for proper training and education for the operators working on the machinery. Also, a lack of proper communication or using the machinery for wrong purposes are included in the same.
- When there is a lack of machinery maintenance, it can pose some serious issues that can harm people. Malfunctioning can be with brakes, steering, etc.
- The machinery becomes unstable when the load is sometimes exceeded and not given proper attention. This usually happens when the workers try to reach a sales milestone in less time forgetting.
- The inefficiency of the worker to operate the machinery.
- Cases where the workplace is not appropriate to work in. This includes a workplace with vision obstructions or narrow spaces. Light issues or noisy places are also a big hindering factor.
Categories of Forklift Accidents
Forklift accident attorneys are responsible for distinguishing between the different types of forklift accidents, and only then can they provide their clients with the right amount of justice. Each type of forklift accident is unique, and there are different types of forklift accidents we get to here on a day-to-day basis like:
- The tipping over accidents: Many times forklifts tip over and contribute to 26% of forklift accidents. This is more common than it sounds given dangerous workplace conditions.
- Targeting pedestrians: 18% of accidents are ones where the forklift hits pedestrians. It can be due to the worker’s negligence or if the pedestrians are not alert physically or mentally while walking down the road.
- Losing control: Many times the operator of the forklift loses control of the machinery, and it leads to a lot of damage.
Exploring an Attorney
Considering a lawyer in such incidents is the smartest thing to do and is also necessary. Only a professional and experienced person can guide you (the victim) in the official course of action and help you with the hospital bills, lost wages, and any post-injury therapy. Also, sometimes we need to be made aware of the safety measures we took, and in that case, a lawyer can help you distinguish between the safety and non-safety standards.
When one is already suffering an injury, it’s better to put the workload of official procedures on an attorney. The lawyers know the best moves in every case to move forward with.
Final Verdict
Experiencing a forklift accident is regrettable and can pose serious and deadly injuries. All in all, these accidents can’t be avoided 100%, but proper justice can be taken with the help of an attorney who will also help you with the compensation you deserve. Irrespective of whether the accident was fatal or non-fatal, the attorney fights for the victim involving forklifts or other heavy machinery. Each type of forklift accident requires a specific legal track for justice which can be reached by hiring a professional attorney.
