NJ PA Longshore Accident Law – Forklift Accidents & Lack of Training

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Longshore workers put themselves at risk every day. Terminals and piers are very dangerous places. The problem lies in the high levels of activity coupled with the sheer number of workers present. Safety managers are hardly ever present and if they are, they are responsible for so many other tasks that they are no longer a “safety manager.”

Longshore workers across the country become injured in similar accidents and the number one cause is related to forklift accidents. In the New Jersey and New York ports, forklift operators are often provided by outside contractors. For example, companies like New York Shipping may provide forklift operators to ports and terminals in the New Jersey and New York area. Therefore, many terminal forklift operators are hired and trained by these outside contractors, and many forklift operators are not trained properly. In fact, one of the primary causes of forklift accidents is negligence of the forklift operator and nine times out of ten, if the forklift operator had been trained properly, the accident would not have happened.

longshore marine terminal containersWhat this means for those injured in a NJ or NY marine terminal forklift accident is that they may have a direct claim against the forklift operating company, the contractor which hired and trained the forklift operator.

However, many dock workers are either misinformed or misled into thinking that the only claim they can make is a workers’ compensation claim. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Workers can succeed in non-workers’ compensation claims in such longshore accident cases.

This year, the firm settled a forklift accident case involving a NJ dock worker who was run over by a forklift. The work accident lawyers were able to show that the forklift operating company’s entire training program violated OSHA forklift training and certification requirements. The client suffered severe injuries and was unable to return to work. His case is an example of succeeding in getting justice in longshore accident cases in the New Jersey area.

Longshore workers face many hazards other than a forklift. For example, many terminal accidents involve cranes, containers, and trucks. The resulting injuries are often catastrophic if not fatal.

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To submit your case for review by our New Jersey and Pennsylvania longshore and marine terminal accident lawyers, call Click To Call. Our lawyers are available for a free, no obligation legal consultation, and can obtain special admission in other states, such as New York or Delaware, on a case by case basis.

Our longshore accident attorneys serve accident victims in the following areas: Allegheny County, PA; Berks County, PA; Bucks County, PA; Chester County, PA; Delaware County, PA; Lehigh County, PA; Montgomery County, PA; Northampton County, PA: Philadelphia County, PA; Atlantic County, NJ; Burlington County, NJ; Camden County, NJ; Cumberland County, NJ; Gloucester County, NJ; Salem County, NJ; New Castle County, DE; Kent County, DE; Atlantic City, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Newark, NJ; Doylestown, PA; Media, PA; West Chester, PA; Norristown, PA; Camden, NJ; Wilmington, DE; Newark, DE; Georgetown, DE; and New Castle, DE. Our lawyers can obtain special admission in other states on a case by case basis.

**This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is crucial to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.

Published: June 12, 2012