The Reinartz Law Firm represents New Jersey workers who have been injured by defective equipment. With thousands of workers injured every year by faulty and poorly maintained equipment, we hold negligent parties responsible.
Businesses, workers, homeowners, and consumers rely on all types of equipment every day. Various types of products and machinery make our lives easier and our work more productive.
They help us complete job tasks more quickly and efficiently, allow us to perform jobs we couldn’t complete otherwise, and even play a part in fitness and recreation. There’s no argument that these products are highly beneficial – when they perform properly. Unfortunately, equipment defects happen, and can result in accidents with devastating injury.
Construction Equipment Defects
The construction industry relies heavily upon equipment to perform a variety of demanding tasks. Construction workers often work in high-risk environments and are susceptible to injury and construction accidents.
These workers depend on equipment to operate properly to keep them safe. However, when equipment is designed or manufactured poorly, the user may be badly injured.
Common types of construction equipment
- Cranes
- Ladders
- Scaffolding
- Forklifts
- Dump trucks
- Backhoes
- Steamrollers
- Bulldozers
- Jackhammers
- Excavators
Industrial Machinery and Manufacturing Equipment Defects
Industries like manufacturing, assembly, agriculture, fabrication and landscaping depend on machinery to help workers complete physically demanding jobs. In these environments, machine injuries are widespread. With thousands of different types of equipment – from small tools to heavy machinery – the danger of accident and injury is always present.
It is important to operate this machinery correctly and abide by manufacturers' warnings. Sometimes, however, these warnings are insufficient, which can lead to injury. Injuries caused by inadequate warnings may be addressed through products liability law, as can injuries caused by faulty equipment which malfunctions due to design or manufacturing defects.
Common type of industrial and manufacturing machinery
- Conveyer belts
- Packaging machines
- Rollers
- Grinders
- Lathes or turning machines
- Folding machines
- Cutting machines
- Welding machines
- Die casting
- Plastic injection machines
- Printers
- Drying ovens
- Hand trucks
- Punch presses
- Capping machines
- Drill presses
- Lawnmowers
- Chainsaws
- Leaf blowers
- Tractors
- Balers
- Industrial vacuums and wet vacs
- Extractors and steam cleaners
- Sanders
- Floor scrubbers, buffers and polishers
- Weed whackers
General Equipment Defects
The use of equipment and machinery isn’t limited to industrial environments. Small businesses, households, gyms and other enterprises use an assortment of machines for various purposes. When defective, this equipment can cause harm, no matter what the environment. These defects may stem from the manufacturing process or even before that, in the design phase of the equipment.
Lack of sufficient warnings is a common culprit in non-job-related equipment accidents. Industries that handle and work with heavy machinery and hazardous equipment typically have safeguards in place to help prevent these types of accidents – though they’re not foolproof.
But consumers and others who use general-use equipment for work or play typically don’t possess the heightened awareness that construction workers and other industry employees have when working with potentially dangerous equipment.
Common types of non-work-related power equipment
- Power tools - Drills, table and circular saws, nail guns
- Office equipment – Printers, copiers, shredders, postage meters
- Fitness equipment – Ellipticals, stair climbers, treadmills, weight machines
- Household equipment – Ovens and cooktops, washing machines, dryers
Legal Options
If you’ve been injured due to defective equipment, you may be able to pursue legal remedies.
Workers’ Compensation
Work-related and on-the-job injuries are usually covered by workers’ compensation insurance. This is typically the case, even when the accident was the result of an equipment failure or defect. Fault doesn’t play a part – your employer and their work comp insurer are responsible for your medical care and partial wage replacement when you have a compensable claim.
Third-Party Liability
While workers’ compensation is the most commonly available legal recourse when a worker is injured in course of employment, workers injured by defective equipment may also be able to pursue compensation from responsible third parties.
These third-parties may include equipment designers or manufacturers who are responsible for the issues that caused the accident. Sometimes equipment repair and maintenance companies may also share responsibility. When one of these situations arises, your attorney can explain your options and help you seek damages from all responsible parties.
Workers who are injured by defective equipment may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim, in addition to a third-party claim, in order to maximize compensation for their injuries. Our attorneys can help you understand how this works.
Defective Products Claims
For non-work-related claims, injured parties may turn to personal injury and products liability law to seek compensation for their medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. There are many parties in the supply chain responsible for ensuring that their products are safe for use when providing equipment to end users.
Manufacturers are the ones most people automatically assign blame to, but others may play a part. Maintainers, installers, distributors, designers, and other individuals and businesses may be responsible for causing a product defect that caused harm.
We hold these parties accountable and responsible for any damages caused by their defective products.
Knowledgeable New Jersey Equipment Defect Lawyers
If you or a family member has been injured by defective equipment, take legal action quickly in order to preserve evidence, locate eyewitnesses and set the stage for a successful legal claim. Our experienced New Jersey Defective Equipment lawyers are knowledgeable of the many types of equipment defects and malfunctions that occur across numerous industries.
We work to recover damages from available avenues, including personal injury and product liability claims, as well as workers’ compensation claims. We will work diligently to investigate your claim, gather evidence and build a strong case to recover the benefits you deserve under New Jersey law.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
