Warehouse Injury Caused by Pallet Jack – Accident Lawyer

Negligent Walking in a Warehouse with a Pallet Jack Creates Injuries

Other people working in a warehouse cannot see a pallet jack coming their way. It is the responsibility of the pallet jack operator to be aware of people and give them the right of way in the store. The pallet jack operator needs to see what is ahead, avoid water, oil and debris, and prevent coming around blind corners into people in the warehouse walking around in a store. The person using the pallet jack needs to use a wide clearance around the people walking around in a store or warehouse.

The pallet jack operator needs to have clean dry hands, not greasy wet hands to operate the pallet jack safely. The pallet jack operator should not be eating a meal while using the pallet jack, and should pay close attention at all times to using the pallet jack.

If a person in a store is walking with a pallet jack, the person needs to walk slowly. This is to avoid upsetting the pallet jack and its contents. The person operating the pallet jack needs to face in the direction traveling with the pallet jack. It is important to maintain a smooth and moderate s important not to oversteer when using a pallet jack sudden starting or stopping movements with a pallet jack.

It is important not to oversteer when the pallet jack is on the move. The pallet jack operator needs to:

1. Raise the pallet jack.
2. Travel with the pallet jack.
3. Put the pallet jack down again.
4. Put the pallet jack back into a place for safe keeping in the storeroom for future use.

Sometimes, the pallet jack load needs to be restacked, to ensure it is stable during the move around the warehouse or store. Every time an operator of a pallet jack pushes it, he or she is actually operating the rear wheels, as that is how it moves. The forks need to go down to the ground as far as they can go down, to pick up the pallet to move it where needed. The forks also need to be centered side to side, to ensure a balanced load is still in effect on top of the pallet jack.

Dangerous Pallet Jack Operators Cause Injuries

People who use pallet jacks need to be trained on how to properly move and stack those pieces of equipment in a warehouse or big box store. There are definite safety rules on the use of a pallet jack. The loads need to be centered at all times on a pallet jack, or there will be the risk of it tipping or falling over. People using a pallet jack need to be constantly aware of other people who are in the vicinity of the equipment.

Pallet jacks used on steep inclines are a recipe for disaster. They will tip, spill, fall over or even “run-away” from the operator using it, if there is an incline where the pallet jack is being operated. If there is an incline, then the operator needs to stay uphill of the pallet jack to keep it safely balanced and in control. Going down on an incline, the operator needs to walk behind the pallet jack to act as a braking device for the pallet jack (as manual pallet jacks don’t have any brakes).

Why Are There So Many Injuries from a Pallet Jack in a Warehouse?

People in warehouses using pallet jacks carelessly, will run over people’s feet and cause serious injuries. Foot injuries and toe injuries in warehouse environments are common, with the use of a pallet jack. These injuries can prevent a person from being able to walk normally after the injury, preventing a quick return back to work.

Can I Sue If I Am Injured in a Warehouse Injury Caused by a Pallet Jack?

Yes, we can sue for the warehouse injury with a pallet jack. Some people are run over by a pallet jack, or are crushed when the pallet jack tips over onto them from a careless operator. The injury from a pallet jack does not need to be super heavy, you can be injured quite seriously by a “light” load on the pallet jack, as the jack has some weight to it itself.

Nearly 80% of the injuries from a pallet jack occur with an object that weighs 30 pounds or less. People can experience crushing injuries with pallet jacks, and that can lead to posttraumatic arthritis or other seriously decreased range of motion on the legs or feet if they are crushed or run over by a pallet jack.

Other injuries include being run over by a pallet jack, and hitting the head on a concrete floor, twisting a leg, ankle, foot or knee. Studies show that there are hundreds of pallet jack injury cases every day. For this reason, the National Safety Council reports nearly 180,000-foot injuries per year, which may be around 500 injuries a day. Studies show that of the total number of foot and toe injuries in the workplace, nearly 6% are caused by pallet jacks, carts and dollies.

The Average Value of Warehouse Pallet Jack Injury Claims

How much money can I receive if my injury claim is successful? How much should I expect to recover for my warehouse pallet jack injury claim? These questions are perfectly normal questions. Afterall, if your injury claim is successful, you could be eligible to recover compensation.

The average settlement of these types of cases depends on the details of each individual case. For instance, the average value of a case with minor to moderate injuries could be worth anywhere from $75,000 to $350,000. Severe injuries could result in case values ranging from $350,000 to $750,000. Of course, some cases could be worth even more.

What if the incident occurred at a store? Stores like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, CVS, Kroger, Costco, Walgreens, The Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Albertsons, TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls, Best Buy, Dollar General, Publix, ALDI, Macy’s, Dollar Tree, Trader Joes, Big Lot’s, Shoprite, Sam’s Club, Ralph’s, Ace Hardware, Save-A-Lot, Bass Pro, Sears, WinCo Foods, etc. all use pallet jacks to move merchandise around. These stores typically carry significant insurance policies in case of incidents. It is important to consider these insurance policies and their limits when discussing the potential value of a pallet jack injury claim.

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Common Injuries Resulting from an Accident with a Pallet Jack

The following injuries are commonly found injuries from having an encounter with a pallet jack in a warehouse. These injuries include:

• fractures finger in pallet rack on a pallet jack
• foot is amputated by pallet jack when it rolls over the foot
• thumb is amputated when struck by falling object knocked down by a pallet jack
• fractures ankle when pinned by pallet jack after operator ran over person
• suffers multiple injuries from falling pallet off of an overloaded pallet jack
• is burned with sodium hydroxide solution when an overloaded pallet jack tipped over onto the person
• is injured when pinned between forklift and pallet, when overloaded pallet jack tips over
• thumb is crushed between pallet and pallet jack, when overloaded unit falls
• suffers amputation between shelves and pallet jack, when pallet jack is driven too fast and cannot stop in time to not hit the person
• rupture knees while loading pallet jack onto truck, using the lift gate

If you have been injured in a warehouse from a pallet jack, you need to call us today. You will benefit from working with a lawyer right now who is ready to win this case for you. When you give us a call right now, you can come to talk to us and sit down with a knowledgeable attorney about your case.

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We offer to you a zero-fee guarantee. We don’t get paid until you do, and we have attorneys who specialize in working with big insurance companies and know how to win this case. It is time for you to call an experienced attorney in Los Angeles, who is ready to give you the peace of mind you need at a time like this after a pallet jack injury in a warehouse.

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You can feel comfortable calling us for a free consultation any time. We are here for you. We will give you the peace of mind that you deserve in this type of case, being injured by a pallet jack in a warehouse. Just call us today, we are here to discuss the case with you, and give you the next steps on your recovery compensation package coming your way.