Forklift Accident Injuries: The forklift is one of the most dangerous pieces equipment on a jobsite or at any work area. According to OSHA, 70 percent of workplace accidents can be avoided with proper training and safety procedures. NIOSH states that the three most common types of injuries occur when:
- A forkliftoverturns
- workers are struck, crushed, or pinned by a forklift; and
- Workers fall from a forklift
OSHA statistics indicate that there are roughly 85 forklift fatalities and 34,900 serious injuries each year. To see more information on these statistics visit the website on forklift safety below:
http://www.liftandaccess.com/blog/common-forklift-accidents
Recently Raymond Gill Jr. of Gill and Chamas in Woodbridge New Jersey recovered $2.35 million in a settlement for his client who was injured in a forklift accident. In December of 2011 Mr. Gill’s client, a landscaper owner was purchasing materials for a job at a local landscaping supply yard. The plaintiff was standing between aisles when a forklift operator struck the plaintiff, knocking him down to the ground. The forklift weighing 9,000 pounds was loaded with 3,000 pounds of materials. The plaintiffs leg was ran over by the forklift operator twice. Damage was sustained to the saphenous nerve. This nerve is the largest in the leg. The plaintiff also suffered a ruptured disc at the lumbar level requiring a two level fusion. As a result of the accident Mr. Gill’s client now walks with a limp.
At Gill and Chamas, our team of attorneys use state of the art technology to illustrate damages to the jury. By using diagrams and other anatomical images we give the jury the best visuals possible to see the damage caused by an accident.
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury due to a forklift accident, contact the forklift accident attorneys at Gill and Chamas today for a free consultation (732) 324-7600.
