St. Louis Heavy Equipment Injury Lawyer

When you go to work each day, you give it your best efforts, but an injury can happen in an instant, interfering with your ability to work and provide for yourself and your family. Workplace injuries can occur even in plush office environments, but they are far more common in industries that use heavy machinery, such as construction, road maintenance, manufacturing, warehousing, forestry, and agriculture.

Heavy equipment is one of the most common causes of workplace injuries, including some of the most severe and catastrophic injuries. If you or a close family member suffered harm from heavy equipment at work, call or contact Miller & Hine Attorneys at Law to learn more about your rights.

Why Choose Miller & Hine as Your Heavy Equipment Law Firm In St. Louis?

The law firm of Miller & Hine is dedicated to advocating for injury victims against insurance companies that protect profits at the injury victim’s expense. With Miller & Hine’s St. Louis injury attorneys on your side, you can expect the following:

• A personalized strategy with your best interests as our primary focus
• Access to medical experts and occupational therapists to provide supporting evidence in your case
• An attorney dedicated to achieving a favorable result in your case through a thorough investigation, assertive negotiation for a settlement, and trial-readiness should your case require court

Miller & Hine does not charge upfront fees to injury victims. Instead, you can expect a free evaluation of your case and contingency-based payment, so you owe nothing until after your attorney recovers compensation for you.

Understanding Workplace Accidents With Heavy Equipment

Workplace injuries and construction accidents happen in many ways, including from operator negligence and broken equipment. Workplace equipment injuries typically fall under the following categories:

• “Struck-by” injuries, or an employee who suffers harm from falling equipment, or being hit by moving equipment
• “Caught-between” injuries happen when a worker or the worker’s limb or other body part becomes caught between moving parts of equipment
• Over-exertion injuries happen when workers over-extend muscles while moving or manipulating heavy equipment
• Repetitive motion injuries happen when employees use the same movements to accomplish work tasks, causing wear on specific body parts
• Defective equipment injuries occur when a manufacturing mistake or design defect in heavy equipment causes an injury to a worker, despite their proper use of the equipment

Falls from heavy equipment, such as falling from a forklift, also cause equipment-related work injuries.

Who Is Liable for Damages In a St. Louis Heavy Equipment Accident?

Recovering compensation after a workplace injury requires careful consideration to determine the best course of action. Workers’ compensation insurance protects employers against liability, except in cases of intentional wrongdoing or egregious actions. A workers’ compensation claim recovers an injury victim’s medical costs and a portion of lost wages. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, an injured employee could file a personal injury claim against a responsible non-employer, such as a negligent contractor, subcontractor, or property owner. Some heavy equipment injuries also involve a product liability claim against the manufacturer of defective equipment.

Under Missouri 537.765, an injury victim can file a claim against multiple parties if more than one entity contributed to their injury. Even if the injury victim is partly responsible for the injury, they can recover compensation minus their percentage of fault through a personal injury claim against a non-employer. Unlike workers’ compensation in Missouri, a personal injury lawsuit allows additional compensation for non-economic damages like pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.

Common Causes of Heavy Equipment Injuries

Heavy equipment is powerful and complex, requiring skilled, experienced operation and careful adherence to safety standards. Employers and worksite managers have a legal duty of care to comply with workplace safety standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ensure that their employees have adequate training and experience, and provide safety training. Heavy equipment accidents occur in the following ways:

• Lack of adequate safety training
• Inadequate equipment maintenance
• Insufficient training
• Mechanical failures
• Defective equipment or parts
• Insufficient enforcement of safety protocols in the workplace
• Communication failures between equipment operators or between managers and operators, or between contractors and subcontractors

Injuries caused by heavy equipment often result in severe trauma. In some cases, catastrophic injuries can leave the victim facing an uncertain future.

What Types of Injuries Happen From Heavy Equipment?

Because heavy equipment is metal and has moving parts, these workplace injuries are often severe, interfering with the ability to return to work and accomplish daily tasks. Common injuries caused by heavy equipment accidents include the following:

• Fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries such as sprains, torn ligaments, and tendon damage to knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles, and wrists
• Crush injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic amputations
• Head, facial, and dental trauma

Even a mild workplace injury can cause financial hardship with a large emergency room bill and a few days of lost pay. A more severe or catastrophic injury can prevent a prompt return to work or may make it impossible to return at all.

Common Damages After a Heavy Equipment Injury In St. Louis

The physical and financial consequences of a serious injury are the “damages” in an injury claim. Common damages after a heavy equipment injury at work include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Physical and occupational therapy costs
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Past and future income loss
• Reduced earning ability due to disability
• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Catastrophic injury damages for losses such as loss of limb, permanent scarring, loss of one of the senses, diminished quality of life, or wrongful death

If a heavy equipment injury occurs at work, the injury victim’s closest surviving family member may recover compensation for their grievous loss through a wrongful death claim.

Call or Contact Miller & Hine to Learn More

An experienced St. Louis heavy equipment injury attorney can tell you more about the best way to maximize your financial recovery while you focus on your physical recovery, based on the unique circumstances of your case. Call Miller & Hine Attorneys at Law for a free case consultation and prompt action on your behalf.