Kansas City Forklift Accident Lawyer
The Kansas City metropolitan area has a vast array of economic companies who have factories, warehouses, and construction sites which use forklifts and other heavy machinery to move materials and goods from one place to another. Forklifts are useful in helping transport heavy material, but they are also equally as dangerous and have the potential to cause serious and deadly accidents.
A recent research analysis of forklift accidents showed that over 1,000 deaths occurred due to injuries caused by a forklift over the past 15 years. Included in this figure are forklift overturns, workers walking by who were struck by a forklift, falls from a forklift, and individuals who were crushed.
Injuries can occur from forklifts that do not cause death but serious injuries such as having a foot, hand, arm, or leg trapped by the forklift that requires amputation. Additionally, a forklift may strike an individual causing them to fall to the ground which causes a traumatic brain injury.
American Forklift Accident Lawyer
It is the responsibility of the employers and workers that substantial steps are taking to avoid mishaps and ensure safety of workers and individuals around these types of heavy machinery. There certain guidelines that will help avoid forklift accidents.
- Maintenance and Routine Inspection: Much like semitrucks needing to take care of their vehicles, a forklift should be inspected daily or every time before the start of a shift. An inspection will review the proper functions of the forklift including the warning lights, horn, hydraulic levels, cracks or leaks in the hoses, tire pressure, and that all warning labels are easily read.
- Proper Training: The operation of a forklift is important because it should only be operated by licensed staff who are trained to operate them. Forklifts do not operate like normal vehicle so special training is required to operate them in a safe manner including loading and offloading heavy loads. Without proper training overturns are probable as well as injuries.
- Safety Equipment: Forklifts require that some safety equipment be used by the operators such as hard hats, helmets, seat belts, and other restraint systems.
All forklift-related incidents should be reported to your employer as soon as possible. Make sure that if you are involved in a forklift injury that pictures are taken of the scene, names of the witnesses are secured, and that, when possible, you narrate your version of the story while it is still clearest in your mind.
Forklift injuries can be the cause of negligence on the employer or a product liability on the manufacturer. A product liability claim would be one of a defective design of the forklift, failure to properly warn, defective manufacturing, or something similar. At Bautista LeRoy LLC we handle product liability claims and you can read more here.
At Bautista LeRoy LLC, we have extensive experience investigating and prosecuting forklift accidents. When you hire our firm, we will advance all costs associated with representing the client. If we do not win your case, the firm takes on the losses of the litigation costs. In fact, we only get compensated when we win the case. Simple as that. Give us a call at 816-221-0382 or chat with use by clicking on the chat box in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
How can we help?
If you have been injured by a forklift, contact us today! We can go over what options you have and what to expect in your case.