On Tuesday night, a scissor lift at the Landmark Center in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston broke during operation. Two construction workers had been strapped into the lift, and they fell along with the machine 15-20 feet to the ground, sustaining injuries. The workers were taken to a local hospital for treatment. It is well known that scissor lifts can tip over even when being used in a proper manner. Over the years, SUGARMAN’s attorneys have brought personal injury claims on behalf of workers severely injured or even killed in scissor lift accidents. These product liability suits are typically brought against the manufacturers and distributors of the lifts.
When a construction accident occurs, several things occur seemingly at once. A workers’ compensation claim is begun, while multiple insurers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launch investigations into what happened and who, if anyone, may be at fault. Relative to a personal injury lawsuit, an injured worker’s immediate employer cannot be sued by the worker for negligence, but there are other potential avenues of recovery.
In addition to the potential for a product liability case if the scissor lift is defective and prone to tipping over, there may be the potential for a claim against companies overseeing safety at the site. On a construction site, multiple parties are often involved, such as a general contractor and other subcontractors. Where an injury is caused by another company on the jobsite, a lawsuit could be brought against the company causing the injury. While it may appear obvious at first glance who is responsible for an accident at a construction site, determining liability can become quite complex.
Our personal injury attorneys are experienced with handling construction site personal injury cases, including cases involving defective or dangerous scissor lifts. If you or a loved one have been injured in a construction site accident or as a result of a defective scissor lift, contact the SUGARMAN team at 617-542-100, email info@sugarman.com, or fill out a Contact Form.