Protecting the Rights of Clients Injured in Forklift Accidents in Delaware

Workers’ compensation attorneys fighting for those with DE workplace injuries in Wilmington, Seaford, and Newark

Forklift trucks are an indispensable tool in warehouses, on construction sites, and anywhere people need help transporting materials from one place to another within a work site. Forklifts carry burdens that would take strong men hours to carry in minutes, and having one available has helped reduce the incidence of back injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries for construction and warehouse workers from repetitive lifting and carrying heavy loads.

At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we take worker safety seriously. We protect the rights of workers who have been injured in workplace forklift accidents. From our Delaware offices in Seaford, Wilmington, and Newark, we offer you comprehensive counsel to help you get the benefits you need.

Some examples of forklift accidents

Even as they have made lifting and moving materials exponentially more efficient and less dangerous, the forklifts themselves have caused accidents and injuries in the workplace when they are not used or maintained properly. According to OSHA estimates that there are about 680,400 forklift accidents each year in the U.S., which cause about 9,000 workplace injuries. 25 percent of forklift-related accidents are the result of inadequate training. After forklift safety training, OSHA found an astonishing 61 percent improvement in operator performance scores. OSHA levies fines of between $7,000 and $70,000 for accidents resulting from inadequate or improper forklift safety training.

In the FY2014 OSHA Report, Fatalities and Catastrophes, there are some examples of forklift accidents that caused injuries and some that caused fatalities:

• Worker fatally crushed by a steel beam that fell from a forklift
• Worker struck and killed by a forklift
• Worker killed in a fall from a forklift
• Worker struck and killed by a truck that fell from forklift
• Worker was killed when forklift overturned
• Worker was crushed between a forklift and warehouse pallet rack
• Worker was crushed under granite slabs that were pushed over by a forklift
• Worker unloading a pallet from boom truck was killed when the forklift tipped over.

Injuries from forklift accidents

Given that forklift accidents can often entail a worker falling out of the truck, being run over or struck by the lift truck, injuries from forklift accidents tend to include:

• Head and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Strains and sprains
• Lacerations
• Crush injuries

OSHA reports that the majority of forklift accidents could be avoided with proper training and following safety precautions, however, some forklift accidents could have been caused by defective forklifts. There are some common defects such as a forklift that tends to tip over, defective braking systems, defective steering or hydraulics and lack of proper operator restraints. If the accident was caused by malfunctioning equipment, Silverman, McDonald & Friedman may file a lawsuit on your behalf against the forklift manufacturer or the maintenance contractor to obtain compensation for your injuries. In addition to the workers’ compensation benefits that are available to employees who sustain workplace injuries, a third-party lawsuit will cover far more of your losses than you would receive from workers’ compensation alone.

The Delaware workers’ compensation legal team at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, have experience helping injured workers get the compensation they deserve when they have been injured at work. We protect your rights so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries. If you have lost a loved one in a forklift accident, the compassionate attorneys will file a wrongful death lawsuit on your behalf. Financial compensation will never make up for the loss of your loved one, but it will help you provide a better future for your family.

Schedule a consultation with our experienced Delaware construction accident attorneys today

The knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman are here to make sure you get the compensation you deserve when you have been injured in the workplace. Please call us at 302-888-2900 or fill out our quick contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case today. We have offices in Seaford, Wilmington and Newark and we serve clients throughout Delaware.