Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
Workplace machinery can cause injuries that are sudden, severe, and life-changing, from a caught hand to a crushed limb. If you were hurt on the job, a machinery accident lawyer in Yorktown can help you understand your options beyond a standard workers’ compensation claim.
Workers’ compensation covers many costs, but it does not cover everything. It does not always account for who was responsible for the accident, either. If faulty equipment or someone other than your employer played a role, you may have a separate path to more compensation.
Shulman & Hill is not a high-volume practice. We take on fewer cases so each one gets the personalized attention it deserves. Get in touch today; a Yorktown workers’ compensation lawyer on our team is ready to look at your case for free.
How Machinery Accidents Happen at Work
Machinery accidents happen for a range of reasons, and most trace back to a failure someone could have prevented. Common causes include:
- Missing or removed safety guards on moving parts
- Poor maintenance, allowing wear and defects to go unaddressed
- Inadequate training on how to safely operate equipment
- Defective design or manufacturing of the machine itself
- Lack of proper lockout/tagout procedures during repairs
- Faulty electrical or mechanical components
Knowing the cause matters because it points to who may be responsible. A missing guard may point to an employer’s safety failure. A defect in the machine itself may point to the manufacturer. Sorting out which applies is one of the first things a Yorktown personal injury lawyer will look into.
Common Injuries Caused by Workplace Machinery
Machinery can cause some of the most serious injuries seen in any workplace. Common injuries include crush injuries to the hands, arms, or legs, amputations from moving parts like blades, gears, or rollers, and severe lacerations.
Broken bones are common, along with burns from hot surfaces or electrical components, and in the worst cases, spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries from falls or being struck by equipment.
Many of these injuries require multiple surgeries and long stretches of rehabilitation, and some result in permanent disability. The seriousness of these injuries is exactly why the compensation involved needs to reflect the real, long-term cost of recovery, not just the first round of medical bills.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits You May Be Able to Receive
If you were hurt by machinery on the job, you are generally entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who was at fault. These benefits typically cover medical treatment related to the injury, a portion of your lost wages while you cannot work, and payments for permanent disability if the injury results in lasting limitations.
One detail many workers do not know: you may still be eligible for benefits even if you have not missed time from work, and some employees continue working while receiving benefits for a permanent impairment. A lawyer can help make sure you are receiving every benefit you are entitled to, since insurers do not always volunteer the full version of events.
When Benefits Do Not Cover the Full Loss
Workers’ compensation has real limits. It generally does not pay for pain and suffering, and the wage benefits it provides are usually a percentage of your actual income, not the full amount. For a serious machinery injury involving months of recovery or a permanent disability, that gap can be significant.
This is where the difference between workers’ compensation and a separate injury claim becomes important. Workers’ compensation is designed to cover basic costs quickly, without requiring proof of fault, but it was never meant to cover everything a serious injury actually costs.
A machinery accident lawyer in Yorktown can review whether you have a path to additional compensation beyond what the workers’ compensation system provides.
Who May Be Liable for a Machine-Related Injury
More than one party can share responsibility for a machinery accident.
Liability may rest with the manufacturer of a defective machine, a company hired to maintain or repair the equipment, a contractor working alongside your employer on the same site, or the maker of a defective part installed in the machine. In some cases, a property owner who failed to maintain safe conditions around the equipment may also share the blame.
Identifying every responsible party matters because workers’ compensation alone will not hold any of them accountable. A machinery accident attorney in Yorktown investigates who was actually at fault, separate from the employer, so you are not left assuming workers’ compensation is your only option.
When a Third-Party Claim May Be Available
New York law generally prevents you from suing your own employer for a workplace injury, since workers’ compensation is meant to be the exclusive remedy against them. But that rule does not protect other parties who were not your employer.
If a machine’s manufacturer sold defective equipment, if a repair company did faulty work, or if another contractor on site created the hazard that hurt you, you may be able to bring a separate lawsuit against them in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.
This is often called a third-party claim, and it can provide compensation, including pain and suffering, that workers’ compensation does not offer.
Figuring out whether a third-party claim applies to your situation takes investigation, and it is exactly the kind of work an experienced Yorktown machinery accident lawyer handles.
Evidence That Can Strengthen Your Claim
A strong machinery accident claim often relies on:
- Photos and video of the machine and the accident scene
- Maintenance and repair records for the equipment
- The machine’s manual and safety warnings
- Witness statements from coworkers who saw what happened
- Your medical records documenting the injury and treatment
- An accident report filed with your employer
Machines get repaired or replaced quickly after an accident, and maintenance records can be hard to obtain without a formal request. A Yorktown machinery accident attorney can act quickly to preserve this evidence and request the records that a third-party defendant might not hand over willingly.
Deadlines Can Affect Your Right to Recover
Different deadlines apply depending on which type of claim you are pursuing, and missing either one can cost you the right to recover.
For workers’ compensation, you generally must notify your employer of the injury within 30 days and file a formal claim within two years. For a separate third-party lawsuit against a manufacturer or another company, New York generally allows three years from the date of the accident to file.
Because these deadlines run separately and some are much shorter than people expect, the safest step is to speak with a machinery accident lawyer in Yorktown as soon as possible after your injury, so neither claim is at risk of being filed too late.
Speak With a Machinery Accident Lawyer in Yorktown
A serious machinery injury can affect your ability to work and support your family, and figuring out your legal options while recovering is not something you should have to do alone.
At Shulman & Hill, we help injured workers pursue both workers’ compensation benefits and third-party claims when they are available. We work on contingency for third-party claims, so there is no upfront cost and no fee unless we win for you.
If you were hurt by machinery at work, reach out today for a free consultation with a machinery accident lawyer in Yorktown who will fight for the full compensation you deserve.