Work Equipment Injuries in Indiana

Indianapolis Work Equipment Injuries Lawyer

Employers are required by state and federal laws to maintain safe workplaces. That includes providing safety equipment designed to eliminate or mitigate injury and ensuring that machinery is working correctly by properly servicing it and monitoring its operation.

While an injured person may receive worker’s compensation benefits, he or she may also be able to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the equipment, their employer, subcontractors, or other employees.

Indiana, a Leader in Manufacturing

One out of five Indiana citizens works in manufacturing. In fact, our state has more manufacturing jobs per capita than any other state. Central Indiana plants are leaders in the production of electric car and truck components, and more than half of the country’s orthopedic medical devices are manufactured in Indiana.

Manufacturing is an important component of Indiana’s economy, employing nearly a half million workers. Unfortunately, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the manufacturing industry has the highest number of injuries and illnesses compared to other industries in the state, accounting for more than 25% of all work-related injuries and illnesses. In 2011, there were 122 occupational fatalities in Indiana, with 18 of them caused by contact with equipment. The total number of non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses in 2011 was 93,700.

With over 30 years’ experience handling workplace injury & accident claims in Indianapolis and surrounding areas, Indiana personal injury attorney Mike Stephenson is dedicated to helping families whose security has been impacted by an occupational injury. Call Mike at 317-680-2501 to arrange a free consultation about your potential claim against a negligent employer or equipment manufacturer.

Dangerous Equipment

Even though OSHA sets standards designed to prevent workplace accidents, they estimate that 120 workers are killed annually and 50,000 are injured in machinery accidents. Some accidents with equipment happen because the employer fails to properly maintain and service the equipment used in the production process.

Occupational injuries have been known to involve a number of machines and equipment, including the following:

Defective Equipment

Sometimes workers are harmed by machinery or a piece of equipment that was defective in design or manufacture, and in these situations the company which produced the faulty apparatus can be held responsible.

Indiana injury attorney Mike Stephenson was able to secure a confidential settlement for a Ford plant worker who was injured by a tug which had a design defect in its acceleration system. A defective equipment case can be difficult to prove, but Mike Stephenson has been litigating personal injury cases in Indiana since 1982, and he is not deterred by complex litigation.
Equipment defects or malfunction can result in explosions, fires, or electrocutions. Workers who are involved in such occupational accidents may suffer broken bones, crushing injuries, amputations, thermal or chemical burns and death. While an injured person may receive worker’s compensation benefits, he or she may also be able to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the equipment, their employer, subcontractors, or other employees.