Even if everyone involved in operating a piece of heavy machinery is properly trained and acting carefully at all times, there is no shortage of ways in which one small mistake or malfunction could lead to that machine severely injuring someone near it. Even worse, workers’ compensation—if you have access to it in the first place—rarely covers the full scope of economic and non-economic harm that an injury caused by heavy machinery will often result in.
Fortunately, if you can prove that a specific person’s negligence played a role in causing this type of accident, you may have grounds to demand additional compensation from them through a third-party lawsuit or settlement demand. This is where our compassionate injury attorneys come in. If you want to explore your recovery options along these lines after being hurt by heavy machinery on the job or under any other circumstances, speak with a Connecticut heavy machinery accident lawyer at Berkowitz Hanna.
Workers’ comp typically only covers “reasonably necessary” medical expenses and most—but not all—lost wages stemming from an on-the-job injury involving heavy machinery. Alternatively, a third-party lawsuit over this sort of accident can incorporate every past and future, economic and non-economic form of harm that a heavy machinery injury will ever cause for the injured person. This can include but is not strictly limited to:
In rare scenarios involving extremely egregious neglect or intentionally malicious misconduct, a court may even impose “punitive damages” against the defendant and award them as extra compensation to the injured person filing suit. Either way, a Connecticut heavy machinery accident attorney can provide vital assistance with identifying, determining a fair financial value for, and proactively demanding compensation for every loss a particular accident has caused already and will cause in the future.
Legal counsel can also play a central role in identifying exactly who holds civil liability for an injury related to the misuse or malfunctioning of a piece of heavy machinery. Typically, an employer who provides workers’ comp coverage to their employees cannot be held civilly liable by one of those employees if they end up hurt in a heavy machinery accident. Other companies involved in the manufacture, sale, maintenance, and operation of that machinery would not enjoy the same immunity.
In many situations, there are multiple people who simultaneously hold a portion of the total fault for an accident of this nature. Support from a skilled heavy machinery injury lawyer in Connecticut can be particularly important to ensuring that allegations of “comparative fault” made against an injured person do not unfairly sidetrack their pursuit of civil recovery.
No two personal injury claims are exactly alike, and that is especially true for cases built around injuries caused by industrial equipment or some other type of heavy machinery. No matter how you ended up injured or what specific damages you need to seek recovery for as a result, representation from a knowledgeable legal professional is essential to getting the best result possible.
A conversation with a Connecticut heavy machinery accident lawyer could provide answers to pressing questions and guidance about what next steps you should take to enforce your rights. Reach out to our dedicated team at Berkowitz Hanna to get started.
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