Power Tool & Machinery Accidents

Get an attorney who will put in the work for your case.

A modern construction site can’t accomplish much without power tools and heavy equipment, but those tools can also become dangerous if they aren’t used properly. Unfortunately, too many construction companies cut corners on safety, and the results for construction workers can be serious and even fatal injuries. You need an experienced construction accident attorney to stand up for your rights and fight for fair compensation.

Keogh Crispi, P.C. has extensive experience and a winning track record fighting for injured construction workers, including a $4.5 million recovery for a laborer who was badly hurt when a misused piece of machinery caused a section of rock to fall on his foot. If you were injured on a New York construction site, contact us today. We know how to hold negligent construction companies and equipment manufacturers accountable.

Why do power tool and machinery accidents happen?

Nearly every tool used on a construction site has the potential to be dangerous. That’s why both tool manufacturers and construction companies have a legal responsibility to use them safely. Some of the main causes of tool accidents include:

• Lack of training and experience. General contractors and subcontractors can’t assume that every worker knows how to use every tool safely. Training and supervision need to be provided to ensure safe tool usage.
• Improper usage. Tools are designed with a particular application in mind, and “off-label” usage can cause accidents. For instance, using a power chisel as a screwdriver can cause the head to fly off and hit someone.
• Lack of communication. Workers in the surrounding area need to be informed when a power tool is in use and advised of any necessary safety precautions. This is especially important on New York construction sites where workers may be operating tools and equipment on multiple floors, unable to see each other.
• Improper storage and lockout. Tools that aren’t in use need to be powered down and stored safely. Contact with an energized machine can lead to electrocution, and tools that are just left lying around on a construction site can become trip hazards or dangerous falling objects.
• Manufacturing defects. Tool and machinery manufacturers are responsible for making sure their products are as safe as possible and for communicating any safety hazards. When manufacturers cut corners, workers can be badly hurt.

In short, nearly all power tool and machinery “accidents” are not really accidents at all; they’re a result of negligent or reckless behavior. Workers who are harmed by such recklessness have rights under New York law. But to get compensation for your injuries, we have to identify who caused your injury – and prove it.

Who is liable for a power tool or machinery accident?

Depending on the circumstances of your injury, several different companies may be liable. New York Labor Law 200 specifies that machinery and equipment in workplaces must be “so placed, operated, guarded, and lighted as to provide reasonable and adequate protection” to workers. The primary responsibility for meeting these standards falls on the property owner or general contractor, who oversees the overall safety of the site.

However, specific tools and pieces of machinery are often owned and operated by a specialized subcontractor. If a defect in the equipment itself caused an injury, then the manufacturer or distributor of the equipment can be held liable.

This means injury claims based on power tool and machinery accidents can be quite challenging: all these potentially liable parties may try to pin the blame on each other, with the injured worker caught in the middle. That’s why it’s critical to have a construction accident attorney conduct an investigation on your behalf. We can take action to preserve physical evidence, cross-reference witness statements, and pore over accident reports to get to the bottom of what happened. We frequently retain expert witnesses to help us reconstruct the accident and firmly establish liability.

Our legal team will fight for full value for your injuries.

Because of the size and power of the equipment used on construction sites, an accident involving power tools or machinery can do permanent damage. You may be out of work for a long time, or you may have to leave the construction industry entirely. Your medical bills are piling up. You’re in pain. You deserve full compensation for those losses. We can help.

When you meet with us for a free consultation, we’ll listen to your story and seek to understand how the accident has affected your life. We’ll then work with you on a strategy to see your case through to the finish. Our policy is to prepare every case for trial because that’s what it takes to put pressure on the insurance company to pay up. We will make sure you’re prepared for every step in the process, answering your questions, including you in strategic decisions, and handling the day-to-day interactions with the insurance company while you focus on getting better.

If you’ve been hurt in a construction accident involving power tools or machinery, talk to an experienced attorney right away. The consultation is free and because we work on a contingency fee basis, you don’t owe us a penny unless and until we win your case. Contact us online or give us a call today.