OSHA estimates that forklift accidents can cause nearly 61,800 injuries, or even 100 deaths a year. In the U.S. alone, there are close to 856,000 forklifts that are currently in operation, which means that 11 percent of these forklifts are involved in an accident some way, shape, or form.

Within the typical eight years of a forklift’s operation lifetime, the possibility of a driver who could sustain injuries from an accident associated with the forklift is significant. The most common types of accidents associated with forklifts are include below, but are not limited to:

• 42% are due to vehicles tipping over on an edge and crushing its operator
• 25% are a result from a victim being injured due to being crushed between another surface and the vehicle itself
• 11% results from an individual being crushed between another vehicle and the forklift
• 8% is a result from material falling and striking someone
• Falls from the platform of a forklift also contributes to small percent of injuries

Adequate training is vital to the safety of the operators, workers, and the machines themselves before operating a forklift. Many accidents are easily preventable if only proper safety training and procedural protocol was presented to the operators. The OSHA requires that all drivers must be properly, and adequately trained before the operation of the equipment.

Tennessee requires a complete training and evaluation program by forklift operators before they can receive the proper certification necessary. 1910.178 is the standard training by the OSHA, in which, an employer is responsible for an operator having gone through the program with a qualified instructor and being still familiar with all the standards once every three years before and during the operating of a forklift. New replacements must be given a “refresher training” if equipment has been replaced or the old one serves a pose to danger.

However, when proper certification and training are not performed properly, fatal errors and accidents can have the tendency to occur. An unbalanced load is not an uncommon reason that a forklift can easily result in tipping over. The operators also pose a risk of being thrown or trapped underneath the machinery.  Some injuries that are a result due to a forklift accident include, but are not limited to:

• Amputation of Limbs
• Spinal Cord and Vertebral Column Injuries
• Brain injuries
• Broken, or fractured bones
• Internal injuries

Every employer is obligated to provide a safe work environment for all employees to accomplish the work they are hired to perform. With strict adherence to safety standards and regulations, safety in the work environment can be properly accomplished for all parties. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of an unsafe work environment, which includes, but is not limited to: improper training, unsafe work conditions, and/or a lack of appropriate or necessary gear or tools, you may be entitled for compensation or damages. The Nahon Firm PLC is here to help build you a case to get the compassion, dedication, and results you deserve. We are also committed to any construction accident victim throughout Tennessee, and will work with you to help you seek the compensation or damages that best fit your case.

At the Nahon Firm, PLC, we will fight to help you win. Our Nashville personal injury attorneys will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect.  You can count on compassion, dedication, and determination towards your case.  Call us today and speak with a Nashville accident lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 324-2000.

Nearly twenty percent of all workplace fatalities occur on construction site, and literally hundreds of thousands of injuries will plague construction workers for many months or years following the accident. Construction workers spend their days working in hazardous conditions, making workplace injuries an ever-present possibility. Unfortunately, workers who are injured often find that worker’s comp claims simply don’t cover the incredible expenses a construction accident brings, and it can be necessary to hire an experienced construction accident lawyer to help you recover your actual damages.

Types of Construction Accidents

Many construction accident injuries result from simple errors in judgment, safety precautions which are on sufficient, or equipment that is unsafe or faulty. A construction worker can be struck by falling objects, can fall from significant heights from a ladder or scaffolding, can be involved in a heavy machinery accident, or could be subject to fires, explosions and chemical leaks while they are on the job. Electrocution and electric shock accidents are not that uncommon in certain construction jobs, and welding or trenching accidents are almost the norm. Finally, construction workers can suffer slips, trips and falls much more often than workers in  other types of jobs.

Even though OSHA takes their job seriously and monitors the safety of construction sites, there is simply no absolutely safe construction site. Construction work comes with inherent dangers due to the heavy equipment and the heights which workers perform their jobs. If you’ve ever been on a construction site you have probably seen a sign which indicates how many days that particular site has gone without an injury, since those days are relatively uncommon in the construction industry. The push to make construction sites safer will often have a conflict with tight deadlines and cutting financial corners.

Who is Responsible for Your Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, your attorney will want to determine who bears the primary responsibility for your injuries.  Specific individuals are responsible for different aspects of the safety of a construction site, and should those individuals neglect their responsibility a construction accident can follow. While the property owner is the one requesting the construction to be done, and the one who owns the land, they do have some authority over what happens at a construction site, however they will generally hand over some of this authority to the contractor they hire. The person who has legal control of the construction site at the time of the accident is first in line to assume the liability for the site, and most property owners will have liability insurance.

Even if the owner gives over his authority to the contractor, the property owner must still inform the workers of any potential safety hazards if they have knowledge of them. The general contractor must ensure the construction site is as safe as possible and provide a working environment which doesn’t present obvious hazards. If the contractor is at fault, he probably has contractor liability insurance to cover the damages. The manufacturer of a piece of heavy equipment which turns out to be defective and causes an accident may also be held liable for the damages. Your construction accident attorney will know who should be held responsible for your particular accident and will aggressively pursue compensation for your lost wages, medical bills (past, present and future) and any other damages which apply to your specific injuries. Your attorney may use the services of a skilled investigator in order to more accurately determine fault in your accident as well as to develop a solid argument for all costs associated with your accident. You need help, and your personal injury attorney will be your best advocate in helping you get that help.

At The Nahon Firm PLC, our goal is for you to receive the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life due to car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents and all other types of personal injury claims. With offices in Nashville, The Nahon Firm PLC has the experience and resources necessary to investigate and resolve your case. Our Nashville personal injury attorneys are adept negotiators who have the necessary trial experience to obtain the best possible results for your personal injury claim.  Call us today to discuss your case by calling (615) 324-2000.