NORTH BAY FORKLIFT ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS 

Don’t allow your employer or the insurance carrier to ignore your legitimate claims.  You have worked your entire life and you deserve better.  Our compassionate, hardworking and skilled construction accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara not only fight for you every step of the way, but we understand the entire legal process.  There is no amount of money that will ever make up for your losses, however, it is imperative that you pursue all your legal claims and receive the best possible medical treatment since it will make a tremendous difference in your speedy recovery.  In addition, you may be entitled to not only a workers’ compensation claims benefits but full compensation including pain and suffering and all future losses of income and other monetary compensation if we determine that your case is the result of a third-party liability cause of action.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at any of our centrally located offices in Santa Rosa at (707) 571-8600 and/or Palm Springs at (760) 832-6118 for a free, comprehensive, and confidential case evaluation.  After talking with one of our experienced and highly skilled attorneys, you will know where you stand. Therefore, you will be able to make the most informed decision on how to proceed with your case.  Our aggressive and dedicated attorneys won’t leave one stone unturned until we get you what you deserve in terms of medical treatment and monetary compensation.  We have the skill and experience to get you a successful outcome—we fight for you!

COMMON CAUSES FOR FORKLIFT ACCIDENTS 

Your employer is obligated to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Rules and Regulations.  In addition to a requirement that forklift operators and forklift drivers must be over the age of 18 years of age and complete an approved certification program prior to operating a forklift, this is often overlooked by greedy and ignorant employers who are only after the bottom line.  The result of not following the OSHA standards opens up the possibility of human error which too often contributes to injury-causing forklift accidents that may have devastating effects upon you and your family.

These Are Some of the Most Common Causes of Forklift Accidents: 

  • A lack of operating skill and technique;
  • Improper maintenance of forklift equipment;
  • Excessive loads;
  • Unsafe working conditions such as inadequate lighting or uneven or broken doors;
  • Faulty and poorly repaired equipment;
  • Inadequate training and supervision.

How To Get Employees and On-Site Supervisors to Prevent Forklift Accidents from Occurring in the First Place: 

  • Clear paths to free obstructions that impact visibility and/or present hazard
  • Make certain that all devices on the forklift including the safety mechanisms are in working order and have not been modified by employees or others.
  • Inspect and make sure that all the controls and displays are properly working, lit and visible.
  • Allow only the trained operators to be assigned to forklift tasks.
  • Make certain that all the appropriate OSHA postings and regulations are being followed and noted.
  • Management needs to implement a prevention plan and a follow-up procedure to avoid forklift accidents.

PARTIES WHO CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR A FORKLIFT ACCIDENT 

If your forklift accident occurred while you were acting in the scope of your job duties, then your injuries and compensation falls under what is known as workers’ compensation.  You are entitled to benefits from your employer but this process has its own built-in problems and issues. However, you receive benefits for medical care, rehabilitation, and disability coverage, and in most cases death coverage in case of a fatal accident.  Your survivors would be the recipients of some of these listed benefits; however, you can also recover non-economic damages through the filing of a third-party liability action against your employer if he/she is grossly negligent and if another party is involved and at fault for this accident injury.

If a third-party is the substantial cause of your forklift accident, then this third-party who may be a manufacturer of a defective part of the forklift equipment or another third-party maintenance company that improperly repaired or fixed the forklift may be responsible.  In those cases where a third-party other than your employer is responsible for your injury, then you may pursue damages from them in a personal injury claim or lawsuit in addition to workers’ compensation benefits.  It is best to come in for a free and confidential consultation for us to make a clear determination of who will ultimately be responsible for your medical care and other benefits.

YOUR MAXIMUM COMPENSATION IS OUR GOAL 

At the Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara, our highly skilled and very knowledgeable attorneys not only have over forty years of combined legal experience handling these types of cases but we also have the results to back up our claim.  We have achieved millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our personal injury clients.  We are so confident in our abilities that we are willing to represent you on a contingency basis only which means that if we don’t win for you, then there is no fee. There is no reason to delay, so please contact our offices for immediate assistance.

Please feel free to contact us at any one of our conveniently located offices 24/7 in Palm Springs in Marin County at (760) 832-6118 and/or our Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County at (707) 571-8600 to schedule a free and confidential consultation and case evaluation.  If you happen to call after hours, our operators will connect you to one of our experienced and highly skilled attorneys.