In Woodland Park, New Jersey, two men were hospitalized after a workplace accident while performing their job for a northern New Jersey construction company that makes granite countertops and cabinets. On Monday, October 8th, the two men were moving a large piece of granite with a forklift. When the employee loading the granite struggled under its weight, the second who was operating the forklift jumped out of the forklift to help without putting the forklift in neutral to stabilize the vehicle. The two men sustained leg and hip injuries when the forklift rolled into them. While the injuries were not considered life threatening, both employees will need time out of work to recover.
In an event like this, a construction accident lawyer would consider a variety of ways to receive compensation for the victims. Work place injuries are generally covered under workers’ compensation insurance, which is “no-fault.” In other words, the victim does not have to prove negligence or fault to recover; rather they simply must show they were injured while working. Although the employer is responsibility for workers’ compensation, often a civil suit can also be brought against another party who may have been responsibility for the accident. For example, the quality and effectiveness of the forklift would also need to be assessed. Was this an issue of a faulty forklift and lack of an improper safety stop or switch on this equipment?
An accident implies that it was something that could not be foreseen or avoided. At The Pearce Law Firm, we recognize that this is rarely the case. In the event that happened in Woodland Park, there are many ways to discover what led to this accident and determine exactly what could have prevented it. We also will determine which lawsuits and insurance to pursue, to maximize the victim’s compensation. If you’ve been hurt at work, contacting a lawyer can help you get clear answers to the questions that could lead to significant compensation.