When there’s a defect in the machine or equipment, a worker may be seriously injured if the machine malfunctions. Depending on the nature of the equipment, a worker could suffer serious burns, electrocution, broken limbs, head, neck and back injuries, or amputation. Injuries suffered because of defective heavy machinery or industrial equipment can be permanently disabling.
If your injuries were caused by a defect in the equipment, you may be able to pursue a product liability claim against the designer, manufacturer, installer, or seller. In Florida, you can file a product liability lawsuit when these defects take place:
Common Industrial Machine Defects
- Improper Safety Guards or Shielding — Probably the most common way that a worker may be hurt by a defective product is that the product lacks safety guards or shielding to protect the worker from the dangers of operating the machine. A couple examples of machines that should include safety guards are industrial meat slicers or drill presses.
- Defective Shut-Off Switches — Dangerous machines should have shut-off switches so that workers can safely access parts of the machine for maintenance. When a shut off switch is defective, part of an employee’s body may be caught in machinery used for slicing, grinding, crushing, or pressing and very serious injuries may result.
- Defective Electrical Wiring or Grounding — When wiring is defective or a machine isn’t properly grounded, a worker may be electrocuted.
- Lack of Warnings — When workers aren’t warned about potential dangers of machinery, they may become injured.
Trying to sort out which company should be liable for a defective product can be complicated and confusing. An experienced accident lawyer from Parvey & Cavenago can do the work of finding the responsible party and pursuing your claim for compensation, allowing you to focus on healing and putting your life back together.
