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Dependable Oklahoma City Equipment Construction Accident Lawyers
Holding construction companies and manufacturers liable when equipment and tools malfunction
Construction work requires many types of sophisticated equipment to clear, build, and improve the construction site. Buildings, roadways, and oilfields, require bulldozers, trucks, forklifts, excavators, backhoes, motor graders, trenchers, and all types of expensive equipment. The workers require helmets, hand tools, electric power tools, and hundreds of different products. When these products fail, the workers and passersby can suffer catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injury, paralysis, and broken bones. In the worsts cases, equipment failure can cause a loved one to day.
At Cunningham & Mears, our lawyers are skilled at litigating equipment accident failures. We have dedicated our personal injury practice to understanding how construction accidents happen and proving who should be held responsible. We seek to enforce the federal, state, and local building code and safety laws. We work with engineers and product safety experts to prove products were poorly designed or improperly manufactured. Our lawyers hold manufacturers and companies that profited from the sale of the product liable if a design defect caused your injuries or a death.
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Responsibility for equipment accidents
Our Oklahoma City lawyers bring the following types of equipment accident claims in construction cases:
- Negligence. Construction sites are required to comply with the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) laws. They must meet common-sense construction industry standards. Owners and contractors need to purchase quality equipment. They must inspect, maintain, and repair the equipment. Supervisors and managers are required to train anyone who uses the equipment and make sure the workers have the necessary certifications and licenses.
- Product liability. Any company that makes or sells a product has a duty make sure their product is defect-free. If the product causes your harm or causes death; we hold manufacturers, distributors, and retailers responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering
- Wrongful death. If a loved one dies due to a construction equipment accident, our Oklahoma City lawyers represent the spouses, children, and other family members of the deceased. We seek damages for:
- The funeral bills
- The victim’s pain and suffering
- The loss of income the decedent would have given qualifying family members
- The grief of each family member
- The loss of companionship and support the deceased would have given each family member
- Workers’ compensation. If the injured person was an employee, we pursue a work injury claim for payment of medical bills, temporary disability, and permanent disability
We also demand wrongdoers pay punitive damages if they intentionally or wantonly put profit before your safety.
Common types of construction equipment accidents
Our attorneys understand how and why equipment accidents happen. Our understanding is based on our trial experience, our work with investigators and experts, and our understanding of the construction industry which is crucial to Oklahoma City’s prosperity. We represent clients and families in the following matters
- Crane accidents. Crane operators must be properly trained on how to use these devices. Cranes can easily come into contact with power lines, overhead and underground, that can cause a worker to be electrocuted. Falls from cranes are quite common. Workers can be struck by a falling crane load during the loading or unloading phase. Crane collapses are quite common. Many of these failures are due to poor training or usage of the crane. Some are also due to defective crane equipment.
- Electrical accidents. Power tools and other devices such as drills and artificial lighting that use electricity are always a threat to cause harm. Electronic accidents often cause death or serious harm. Even a mild shock can require emergency room treatment, cause a heart attack, or cause loss of the ability to use part of your body. Equipment should be properly grounded. Electrical safety laws must be complied with. Full safety precautions should be taken. Carpenters, electricians, welders, manufacturers, and anyone who works with electrical equipment are at risk of being electrocuted.
- Forklift failures. Forklifts are used to move inventory and equipment throughout the construction site. If used improperly, a worker can be impaled against a well, the objects on the forklift can crush the victim, and the forklift itself can strike the worker. If not used correctly, forklifts can run into other vehicles, electrical lines, and part of the buildings or construction work. Injuries can be life-threatening, permanent, or severe.
- Truck and vehicle accidents. Dumpsters, cement mixers, loaders, and trucks of all sizes are part and parcel of most construction work. Vehicle accidents can occur at the site or while transporting materials to and from off-site locations. Construction vehicle accidents can be caused by product defects, bad steering, going the wrong way, speeding, failure to see people in blind spots, and other irresponsible conduct.
- Scaffolding accidents. Scaffolds allows workers to rise, fall, and to work at high heights. If the worker isn’t properly educated on scaffold use or if the scaffold is defective, the workers can fall and die, suffer broken bones, or long-term injuries. Many workers who survive a fall suffer paralysis.
- Small equipment and tool accidents. Workers who use jackhammers, drills, nail guns, and other tools need to understand how to use these tools and what protective clothing and gear to wear. These tools should be regularly inspected before they are used.
Equipment accidents can also cause fires and explosions which can kill someone or cause devastating, often disfiguring, injuries. We also represent workers and non-workers when trenches collapse, cherry-pickers falter, and tree equipment fails.
When you call our Oklahoma City equipment accident attorneys, we always answer
At Cunningham & Mears, we have earned the respect of many satisfied clients for our ability to negotiate strong settlements and obtain substantial verdicts. Our reputation is based on our dedication to detail, our intent on listening to your worries and concerns, and our experienced in arguing your case before juries and with insurance adjustors. For clear guidance please contact us or call 405-232-1212 any time to make an appointment. We take equipment accident cases on a contingency fee basis.
