Scissor Lift Accident Injury Attorney

As a construction worker in California, you demand a lot from your body daily. And even when you are entirely focused and following all safety guidelines, you are putting your safety at risk due to the strenuous work and working conditions that are part of your job. These are just a few reasons that OSHA considers construction work among the five more dangerous occupations, with over 40 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Shockingly, that rate is the same as you would encounter when participating in the extreme sport of base jumping. However, millions of workers face these odds each day when they go to work, facing potentially severe injuries from falls when using a scissor lift.

If you have been injured when falling from a scissor lift, had a scissor lift fall while you were on it, or suffered an injury from a defective scissor lift that collapsed, contact the experienced scissor lift accident injury attorneys at Kenmore Law Group immediately. Our team is here 24/7 to help you understand your rights as a scissor lift accident victim and how you can seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other costs related to your injuries.

We offer a free consultation to discuss your injuries and the details of your accident. Then we explain how the Kenmore Law Group team can help you get the money owed you due to a scissor lift accident or defective scissor lift injury. To ensure you never need to worry about the added stress of legal bills, we provide our services for free until we secure the payment you deserve. We do not get paid if we don’t win you a settlement.

What Is A Scissor Lift?

A scissor lift is a large piece of equipment that functions similarly to scaffolding. It provides an elevated surface for workers. However, unlike a scaffolding structure that must be constructed and remain stationary, a scissor lift can be relocated. The work platform is on a series of extension beams that allow it to be raised and lowered to various heights. When the beams are fully retracted, the much more compact unit can be driven to a new location where the platform can again be elevated. Fully retracted, the lift is roughly six to eight feet tall, but when fully extended, some scissor lifts can elevate to 50′ or more, making them very useful on large projects.

The Uses Of A Scissor Lift

While the most common location to find a scissor lift is on a large construction site, they are also instrumental in several other applications. Some common types of scissor lifts include:

• Car scissor lift in a mechanics’ work area
• Boat scissor lift at a marina or boat repair yard
• Motorcycle scissor lift in a repair facility
• Heavy-duty truck scissor lift for servicing massive commercial trucks and other vehicles
• Industrial scissor lifts to move heavy equipment or loads in a manufacturing facility
• Hydraulic freight scissor lift to move freight containers at a dock or cross-dock
• Portable scissor lifts for smaller jobs or on various job sites or at a rental company

When operators use a scissor lift in compliance with all manufacturers’ safety guidelines, they are a great resource for any elevated work on a larger project. However, because these devices extended, they represent an increased danger compared to working on the ground or other stationary platforms.

The Dangers Of Working From A Scissor Lift

No mechanical device or work environment is ever 100% safe. There is always the potential for an accident or other misfortune to cause an injury. In the case of a scissor lift, the possibility of injury is significantly reduced when operating it within the manufacturers’ guidelines. However, there is always the possibility of:

• Falling from the scissor lift – even with railings and safety gear, it is possible to fall from a scissor lift when the surface is moist and slippery, the scissor assembly malfunctions, or the unit suddenly tips or tilts due to unstable ground shifting or even high wind.
• Becoming trapped – an occupant of a scissor lift could become trapped between the lift and another large object if leaning past the lift’s railing or maneuvering the lift near an object while in transit. Entrapment can also occur if the scissor lift begins to tilt and the occupant is between the lift railing and an external object.
• Tipping the scissor lift – tipping is the most prevalent safety concern when the lift is fully extended. Even with the massive weight of the unit’s base, a fully extended scissor lift can tilt if the occupants move too suddenly, the ground beneath the lift shifts, or high wind pushes the platform.
• Contact with power lines – because some lifts extend a great distance, it is possible to contact power lines while raising the platform. For this reason, a scissor lift should never be used near power lines.
• Mechanical failure – All equipment and tools, like a scissor lift, must be adequately serviced and maintained. If the unit is not being properly serviced, it increases the possibility for it to fold, tip, or fail in other manners that put the operator and occupants at risk for severe injury.
• A defective scissor lift – even a new unit or one with little use needs regular inspections and service. A scissor lift could be faulty or have a defective component that will result in a failure of the unit or support of the platform and result in a significant injury to any occupants.

Who Is Responsible For Your Scissor Lift Injury?

As the victim of a scissor lift injury, you are sure to wonder who could be responsible for the pain and suffering you are enduring. And the expert scissor lift accident injury attorneys at Kenmore Law Group are here to help you sort through the details of the accident and determine who is to blame for your injuries and the cost of your medical care, lost wages, and other damages. Some of the more common defendants in a scissor lift injury lawsuit include:

• The manufacturer of the lift if the unit was found to be defective or proper safety warnings and labels were missing from the unit
• A commercial distributor could also be liable if the issue with the defective part or unit was known and units were still sold
• Your employer could be responsible if the scissor life were not correctly serviced, was damaged, or you were forced to use it in unsafe conditions

What Is My Scissor Lift Accident Injury Lawsuit Worth?

Unfortunately, even Kenmore Law Group experts cannot estimate your lawsuit’s value without gathering some crucial information first. In most cases, we will need to discuss the following information at your free consultation or a later meeting to understand:

• The scope and severity of your injuries and the cost of all current and future medical bills for your care that might include surgeries, therapy, rehabilitation, and prescriptions
• The estimated length of time you will require to make a full recovery is also vital to estimating the cost of the settlement
• Any lost wages if you are unable to work as a result of the injuries and for work missed for medical treatment, doctor visits, therapy, and rehabilitation treatments
• If you have a permanent disability as a result of your scissor lift injury, then we will calculate the loss of future earning power for the settlement
• Your physical pain and suffering are also taken into consideration when determining your financial compensation
• The cost of your legal representation and fees associated with the lawsuit to seek compensation for your losses

How Long Will The Settlement Process Take?

Much like determining the value of your case, it is challenging to estimate how long it will take for the case to work its way through the court system. Factors including the court’s workload, the severity of your injuries and time needed to heal, and the actions of the defendants in the case will all impact the time necessary to reach a conclusion and settle your lawsuit. It is also vital that you understand that in accordance with the Statute of Limitations in California, you have only two years from the date of your injury to file a claim with the court system. Your Kenmore Law Group team will work to ensure that your claim is filed within that window to protect your right to seek compensation.

We Work For Free Until You Get Paid

The Kenmore Law Group has a strict policy of never billing clients until we secure the settlement they deserve. So if we do not win your case, you owe us nothing. In addition, if you have worked with another law firm that claims you have no grounds for a lawsuit, please get in touch with us today. We offer a free second opinion to all injury victims to ensure they have the legal representation they need to secure full and fair compensation for their scissor lift accident injury.