Defective Machinery Accidents

Being hurt due to defective equipment or machinery is not as uncommon as you may expect. Machines make life more efficient and provide a wide range of important services. Yet, machinery that fails to work as directed can cost people their lives. It is critical to understand your rights in defective machinery accidents.

Speak with a San Bernardino workers’ compensation attorney today.

Types of Machinery That Cause Accidents Due to Defects

Machines are a big part of everyday life. That includes everything from cutting the grass to operating a farm. Product defects can happen in various ways. Some of the most common defective machinery accidents involve the following:

• Power tools
• Landscaping tools and equipment
• Conveyor belts
• Construction equipment
• Fitness center equipment
• Home appliances
• Farm machinery and equipment
• Snowblowers
• Press machines
• Forklifts
• Warehouse equipment

These machines have very specific services. The person using them, whether a consumer or an employee doing their job, expects that the equipment will operate in a very specific way. When that fails to happen, you may be able to file a product liability claim.

Common Causes of Machinery Defects

Machinery defects can happen in a variety of ways. They happen as a result of design mistakes, manufacturing errors, or in the distribution process. In some cases, marketing failures and miscommunications can lead to defects that cause injuries. Some examples might include:

• Machinery that overheats, causing burns, even though it was used as directed
• Faulty wiring that causes a fire or electrical hazard
• Low-quality materials are used in the construction of equipment
• Poor quality installation techniques
• Lack of safety warnings or proper instructions
• Mistakes in the assembly process
• Inadequate safety devices or features, like automatic shut-offs

When equipment does not work as expected or has features that cause injury even with proper use, it becomes the manufacturer, distributor, or designer’s responsibility to cover the losses victims face.

Product Liability in Defective Machinery Accidents

Product liability is the area of law that governs this area. With product liability law comes the responsibility of manufacturers and other parties to ensure that products are safe in the hands of users. There are three ways in which product liability law could be a factor in your case:

• Design: The manufacturer designed the product in a way that made it effective or posed a risk, meaning the product was defective in its design; the defect caused the product to malfunction, which in turn caused your injuries. Typically, all the products produced have the defect.
• Manufacturing: In this case, the same applies, but the defect is due to poor manufacturing. That means the defect may only show up in certain pieces of equipment production.
• Inadequate warnings: In this area, the design was properly implemented, but there were dangerous or defective elements if misused, and there were no warnings or appropriate instructions to prevent such mistakes.

If you believe your injuries are due to one of these three areas, speaking to a product liability attorney can be a critical factor in protecting your future. We have decades of experience handling workplace injury claims.

Contact Our Product Liability Attorney for Guidance

At DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo to speak to our product liability attorney about your defective machinery accidents. With guidance from our team, you can pursue full and fair compensation for the losses you suffered.

We would be happy to offer a free consultation for you to get the information you need.