Power tools make working in construction-or even just doing projects around the house-more efficient. A power drill can place a screw securely and quickly in less than a second, and a jigsaw can cut an intricate pattern in a way a handsaw can never do. However, with battery-powered or electrically powered tools comes great risk. One false move, and you can be spending the rest of your day in the ER. That said, not all power tool injuries are caused by carelessness. All too many injuries attributed to power tool usage take place because of defects in the tools themselves.
Even non-defective power tools pose a safety risk
People who work with power tools, whether they are skilled laborers or DIY enthusiasts, take a risk every time they pick up a saw or drill. Even when power tools are in good working order, there is the chance that something could go wrong, leading to serious injury or even dismemberment. According to the OSHA Amputation Fact Sheet, powered and even non-powered hand tools can cause accidental limb or digit amputation for those using them.
Using defective power tools can have disastrous consequences
With power tools in good working order being so dangerous, it is not any wonder that defective equipment poses that much more of a threat to those working with them. If a drill bit or saw blade has a manufacturing defect, grave injuries can happen the first moment the tool is powered on. These injuries can require long hospital stays and multiple surgeries to recover from, or they could even cause paralysis and permanent disability.
Common power tool injuries
According to 2017 made available by OSHA, portable power tools have been responsible for more than 20 injuries over a three-month period, many of which were laceration or amputation injuries caused by power saws. However, some common but lesser-known injuries attributed to use of defective power tools include burn injuries from leaking or exploding power tool batteries and electrical shock injuries resulting from faulty wiring within the tool or its cord. All of these injuries can cause not only pain and suffering, but loss of wages while recuperating from injuries.
The question of liability
If you have been hurt while using a power tool, the person responsible for your injury is a matter of liability. If your injury happened as a result of a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer may be responsible under product liability law. However, if your employer provided you with defective equipment to use while performing your job duties, then he or she may bear some or all of the responsibility for your injury, as well. Speaking with a trained legal professional can help you untangle the question of liability.
If you’ve been injured by a defective power tool, seek legal help
If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective powered hand tool, contact Compass Law Group, LLP-the leading power tool injury attorneys in Los Angeles, also serving the greater Los Angeles region. The experienced lawyers at Compass can help guide you through the legal process and get you the monetary compensation you deserve.
