Port St. Lucie Forklift Accident Lawyer
Forklifts are an essential feature at most construction sites. These motor vehicles lift heavy materials with the “fork” in the front and transport them around a jobsite in a quick and convenient manner. Without a forklift, workers would be forced to lift this material themselves—slowly down the pace of construction. Unfortunately, negligence and improper operation can lead to devastating accidents. Not only are these powerful vehicles, but the loads they carry are often heavy and can crush or severely injure construction workers trapped underneath.
If you were hurt in a forklift accident, please call Smith, Ball & Báez today to speak with our legal team. We can analyze whether you can sue or file a workers’ compensation claim. Please schedule a consultation with a Port St. Lucie forklift accident lawyer today.
Common Reasons for Forklift Accidents
Forklift accidents can happen at any construction site in Port St. Lucie. Some of the more common forklift accidents are:
- Collisions between pedestrians and forklifts
- Loads falling off the forklift
- Forklifts tipping over
- Forklifts breaking down due to mechanical defect
- Forklifts colliding with scaffolding or ladders
These accidents are avoidable if everyone at the construction site followed state and federal safety laws. Unfortunately, safety is often lax. Many accidents stem from:
- Lack of training in how to load and operate a forklift
- Overloading the forklift
- Careless or distracted driving
- Failure to maintain the forklift by performing timely repairs
- Mechanical failures
- Poor jobsite design
If you were hurt in a forklift accident, immediately notify your supervisor. You should also seek prompt medical attention. Many collisions lead to serious internal organ injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other life-threatening conditions. If a heavy load lands on you, then your limb could become crushed and need to be amputated.
These forklift accidents leave many workers with high medical expenses at a time when they are in too much pain to work. Helpfully, construction workers injured at the jobsite should qualify for many workers’ compensation benefits in Florida. These benefits can cover a portion of your lost wages and pay for necessary medical care to treat your injuries. If a defect on the forklift led to the accident, you might sue the manufacturer for damages.
Members of the public are sometimes hurt when forklifts leave the jobsite and collide with them. Anyone hurt in a collision of this type should consider suiting by meeting with an attorney to review their legal rights. Although you can’t receive workers’ comp, you also have more liberty to file a negligence claim.
Experienced Legal Advice During a Difficult Time
Getting compensation after a construction accident is a challenging process. Insurance companies often deny many workers’ compensation claims, and you should have a lawyer on your team who knows how to file an appeal. Any lawsuit against a third- party like a manufacturer is also difficult to bring. Large companies have more lawyers on their payroll than you can count. Fortunately, the right Port St. Lucie forklift accident lawyer can help level the playing field.
