In 2022, there were 73 work-related deaths involving forklifts. Between 2021 and 2022, there were 24,960 forklift accidents. Of those, 15,480 cases involved workers who had to miss work or were otherwise unable to work the same. The incident rate of injuries and deaths involving forklifts is simply too high. Forklifts put some of our nation’s hardest working individuals at risk every day.
A forklift is a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads. These are found and used in countless different work environments, ranging from warehouses and large retail stores to construction sites and shipyards. People are injured in a wide range of types of accidents, including being struck by objects to being pinned or struck by something.
When a forklift injury or death happens, they are normally caused by unsafe working conditions. Employers are also supposed to provide adequate training and supervision over their employees to ensure that the forklifts and forklift drivers are not posing a risk to their other employees or even customers. Forklifts provided by employers also need to be properly maintained and repaired so that they operate safely.
In 2023, firm attorneys Benny Agosto, Jr. and Lena Laurenzo resolved a multi-million-dollar settlement involving a worker who was catastrophically injured by a forklift driver. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a forklift or work-related accident, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-222-7211 or toll free at 1-800-870-9584.