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Work accidents account for about 25% of all the personal injury lawsuits that get filed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Even though work accidents aren’t as nearly as common as other types of personal injury cases, such as auto accidents, lawsuits for work accidents are fairly common because of the extent of the injuries. Work accidents often result in catastrophic injuries such as crushed limbs, traumatic brain injuries and spinal injuries. Because of the extensive financial losses that occur, injured workers are often left with no choice but to seek compensation by filing lawsuits.
In this work injury law article, our Pennsylvania and New Jersey accident lawyers discuss three of the most common types of work accident lawsuits. Visit our PA and NJ work accident law library for more info.
PA & NJ Work Accident Lawsuits – 2 Things to Note
There are 2 things to note about work accident lawsuits in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. First, these types of lawsuits are completely separate from workers’ compensation claims. This is something that our work accident lawyers explain to injured workers again and again. Filing a work injury lawsuit does not depend on any workers’ compensation claim, and vice versa.
Second, the types of work accident cases discussed below involve “third party” lawsuits, i.e., lawsuits filed against non-employer parties. In most cases, an employer cannot be sued for a work accident that happens in PA or NJ. This is due to the way workers’ compensation is set up. In exchange for providing workers’ comp benefits, a Pennsylvania or New Jersey employer cannot be sued for negligence in causing a work accident. However, there are multiple exceptions, and the law is always changing. Get more info about employer responsibility after a work accident.
Construction Accidents
Lawsuits for construction site accidents are one of the most common types of work injury lawsuits that get filed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Whether it’s a residential construction site or a major commercial construction site, workers often sustain major injuries. Also, given the extent of the activities that occur, the types of the accidents are endless. Literally from top to bottom, construction sites require an extensive amount of activity. From trench/excavation to roofing work at 100s of feet in the air, construction site workers face a wide range of work hazards.
For example, a New Jersey company constructs a scaffold for use on a Philadelphia construction site. The scaffold is not constructed properly. OSHA-required cross bracing is not used on one of the sections of the scaffold. During a busy day, the scaffold collapses, killing 2 workers and injuring 5 workers below. The NJ scaffold company is likely to be held liable to the families of the deceased workers as well as the 5 workers who survived.
Fall Accidents at Work
Fall accidents are actually one of the top causes of work injuries across the U.S., including Pennsylvania and New Jersey. That’s because they happen on every type of workplace, including construction sites, factories, office buildings, etc. In the context of work accidents, fall accidents include both trip and falls and slip and falls, as well as, falls from heights. Trip or slip and fall accidents are exactly what they sound like. An office worker trips and takes a tumble down a flight of stairs, or a construction worker trips on debris at a work site and falls.
Falls from heights usually occur at work sites. They usually involve roofing work. For example, a contractor hired to perform roof work on a job site in New Jersey falls through an unguarded opening, sustaining major back injuries.
Work Related Factory Accidents
Factory or industrial accidents usually occur when a worker is injured in a machine accident. Factory accidents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey often involve complex pieces of equipment, such as those on an assembly line. For example, a food processing worker may get his or her arm caught in a machine when the equipment starts unexpectedly while the worker is clearing a jam. Oftentimes, lockout/tagout procedures or negligent maintenance can result in these types of accidents.
Related: Machine & Factory Worker Injuries – Lockout Tagout Regulations and Machine Accidents
In addition, equipment accidents at work may happen due to defective products. A defectively designed piece of equipment may result in a catastrophic work accident. The equipment manufacturer, distributor or seller can be held liable under Pennsylvania or New Jersey product injury laws.
Pennsylvania & New Jersey Work Accident Law Firm
Our lawyers are licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and have handled 100s of work accident lawsuits. For a free consultation for a construction accident, fall accident or factory accident, please contact us.
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