Denver Defective Construction Equipment Lawyers

If a Dangerous Piece of Machinery Caused an Injury, Our Team Can Help You Bring a Claim

Construction is one of the most dangerous fields to work in: Anyone who spends 45 years or more on the job is more likely than not to experience a disabling injury. Construction sites are full of hazards, including defective equipment and machinery. Even in a highly controlled work environment, equipment that is poorly designed or has been made with subpar components can malfunction when in use and cause serious accidents.

For most people injured on the job, workers’ compensation is touted as a way to regain lost wages and reimbursement for your medical needs. However, the amount you are awarded may pale in comparison to the long-term costs of a severe or catastrophic injury. If you were injured because of an equipment defect, you may be able to file a claim for compensation against the company that designed or made the dangerous machinery. Our lawyers can help you explore your legal options so you can maximize your compensation.

We have an in-house engineering team to analyze product defects and over 50 years of experience fighting for innocent individuals who were injured by dangerous products. Call The Gilbert Law Group® today at (888) 711-5947 to schedule a free consultation with our team.

Hazards from Defective Construction Equipment

The equipment used on construction sites is made for high-powered maneuvers: lifting heavy objects, ensuring strong connections between different parts of a building, and more. In recognition of the danger inherent to working with raw materials and in-progress structures, the machinery used for such pursuits should be carefully designed and manufactured to ensure worker safety. Further, it should come with fail-safes and other safety features like emergency shut-offs that can prevent an error from turning into a catastrophe.

These common-sense safety measures are not difficult to implement, but they cost more than many companies are willing to pay. To our team, the idea of putting your own profits before the safety of people who use your products is abhorrent. We believe when someone is hurt because a company released dangerous equipment onto the market, that company should have to pay for all expenses and losses a victim faces.

What Defective Design Looks Like

A surprising number of products are designed only to minimum viable standards—meaning the product works but is lacking important functionalities. For example, forklifts, which are meant to carry heavy loads, are dangerous even when operated correctly. To reduce accidents, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends no forklift ever be driven at above 5 mph. However, many forklifts do not come with a speedometer, making it impossible for a worker to know if they are following safety guidelines.

Other design oversights that affect construction equipment include a lack of built-in guards/covers for moving parts that workers could be caught in; a hard-to-access emergency shut-off switch; failure to include automatic overrides for dangerous uses; and more.

How Defective Manufacturing Can Cause Accidents

Even when a piece of equipment is designed well, it can still be dangerous if it is made with substandard parts or materials. Cranes, forklifts, bulldozers, backhoes, and other large vehicles can fail when in use. Common parts that malfunction include:

• Steering
• Transmission
• Brakes
• Hydraulic systems
• Mast assembly
• Hoist lines
• Safety devices
• Accessories/attachments

When an equipment operator loses control due to equipment failure, there is little that can be done to prevent an accident. This type of catastrophe can only be prevented during the manufacturing phase.

When Is an Equipment Designer or Manufacturer Liable?

If you are not sure whether you have a case against a third-party equipment maker after a construction site accident, ask yourself this question:

Was your accident caused, in full, by the mistakes or negligence of someone at your company? Or might it have been prevented or mitigated if your equipment had worked to the highest standards?

Many workplace accidents have multiple causes, and while human error is often a factor, the designers and/or manufacturers of heavy machinery may be implicated as well. If you think a piece of faulty equipment caused or contributed to your injury, reach out to our team for a completely free consultation. We can help investigate your case and explain your legal options.

Call our Denver construction equipment defect attorneys at (888) 711-5947 today. We have the skill and resources to handle major cases.