Maryland Machinery Accident Attorneys

A Maryland Workers’ Comp Attorney Can Help

Machines of various kinds are used in a wide range of workplaces, and nearly all of them can cause injury. That’s because machines often have many parts that are moving, sharp, extremely hot or cold, press together, or perform in some other way that can do serious damage to the human body if someone accidentally comes into contact with the machine.

Maryland workers’ compensation coverage provides for bills, partial lost wages replacement, vocational rehabilitation, and other costs associated with on-the-job machine injuries. If the machine that injures a worker is defective, he or she may also be able to seek compensation from the machine’s manufacturer or seller as part of a product liability case.

Injuries Caused by Machinery Accidents

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following are the more common and serious work-related machinery injuries that occur in the U.S. each year:

Crush injuries: Crush injuries do serious damage to bones, nerves, muscles, and soft tissue when a body part is caught between two machine parts that press, squeeze, or lock together. Crush injuries are the most common type of machinery injuries on farms, according to the Journal of Trauma.

Uncontrolled energy releases: Both electrical and mechanical energy can cause serious harm if they are released in an uncontrolled manner, as they may be if a machine jams or is turned on or off suddenly and improperly. Burns, broken bones, and tissue damage can all be caused by an uncontrolled energy release, as can falls and other injuries.

Amputations: A machine with sharp or heavy moving parts can cause the amputation of a finger, hand, or limb. Crush injuries and other types of injuries can also cause damage that will require a limb to be partially or completely amputated.

Choking and similar injuries: Moving machine parts can catch clothing, hair, or other loose items attached to the body. People entangled in a machine this way may be choked, scalped, or suffer other serious and possibly fatal injuries.

Maintenance injuries: The category “maintenance injury” includes any injury that occurs while a machine or any of its parts are being cleaned, repaired, or replaced. These injuries can be of any type, but they usually occur when the machine should be turned off. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict standards for lockout/tagout procedures to prevent machines from being accidentally turned on while someone is servicing them.

Machinery Accidents at Maryland Construction Sites

Construction activities that involve heavy machinery may present serious risks and dangers to equipment operators and construction workers. OSHA regulations cover many aspects of heavy machinery operation on construction sites. These regulations also provide some specific guidelines for more specialized types of cranes, hoists, conveyors, elevators, and other heavy construction equipment. OSHA safety violations have serious consequences and can potentially lead to hefty fines, construction site shutdowns, and civil liability on the part of the developer and/or construction company.

Machinery accidents at construction sites may occur because supervisors or others present on the job site do something that is careless, reckless, or negligent. Some examples include:

Inadequate pre-planning

Providing a weak structural foundation for construction equipment

Electrical hazards

Improper training and experience

Untrained or incompetent site supervisors or superintendents

Improper equipment setup

Incorrect equipment selected for the project

Injured in a Machinery Accident? Get the Benefits You Need to Build a Stable Future.

According to the Maryland Division of Labor and Industry Regulation, approximately 58,000 workplace injuries are reported in Maryland each year. Most of these occur in either the construction or the manufacturing field, where up to half of workers injured are forced to take at least one day off work to recuperate. Some are so severely injured that they are unable to return to their previous jobs; they must find alternative work, often after a period of vocational rehabilitation, or they must stop working entirely due to total permanent disability.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a machinery accident at work, you need to recover fair benefits that will allow you to make ends meet while you are receiving medical care and unable to work. You may be entitled to benefits for life, if you cannot return to work. Our Maryland work injury lawyers can talk to you about your options and how to move forward. We will fight to maximize your financial recovery, which will translate to a more stable future for you and your family.

Contact Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers today at 301-936-0042. We have offices conveniently located in Frederick, Bowie, Prince Frederick, Lexington Park, and Waldorf to better serve you.

Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers serves injured clients throughout Maryland. Our offices are conveniently located in Lanham, Waldorf, Frederick, and Rockville. We also serve Accokeek, MD; Annapolis, MD; Baltimore, MD; Bowie, MD; College Park, MD; California, MD; Columbia, MD; Frederick, MD; Hughesville, MD; Huntingtown, MD; Landover, MD; LaPlata, MD; Laurel, MD; Lexington Park, MD; Mechanicsville, MD; Upper Marlboro, MD; Prince Frederick, MD.