As a result of all the marvelous technology that surrounds us, the typical factory is becoming more and more automated as complicated machinery and equipment replace human workers. All of this, though, comes at a price: the shop floor can be a very dangerous place. We are well aware of this danger at the Scanlan Law Group, and we have more than 25 years of experience in representing the victims of defective machinery and assembly lines.

One of the dangers posed by all of this complicated equipment is the risk of injury and death from defects in the equipment. There are many ways in which industrial machinery can be defective. Some pieces of machinery are inherently unsafe, which means that the machinery cannot be operated in the way in which it was intended without putting employees at risk. Machinery can also be defective if it lacks an effective safety feature, such as a guard to shield employees from moving parts or pinch points, or proper electrical grounding. Other machinery may be defective because it contains toxic chemicals or other hazardous substances without providing proper protections for workers. Some machinery can be defective if it has inadequate systems to shut down the equipment in the even of an accident or malfunction. Whatever the cause, industrial-related accidents are a serious problem, and cause millions of serious injuries every year.

The problem in many of these cases is that if an employee is injured by a piece of defective equipment in the workplace, he or she generally may not sue the employer in court, and is limited to his or her state's workers' compensation remedies. However, in cases where the employer knew or should have known that its machinery was unsafe and likely to cause injury, the injured employee may be able to sue the employer directly for allowing such defective machinery in the workplace. Additionally, as is the case in other product liability actions, an employee injured by a piece of defective machinery may be able to sue all of the parties involved in the design, engineering, manufacture, distribution, sale, and installation of the defective machinery.

Because defective machinery cases can be very complex, you need experienced and aggressive attorneys to successfully handle them. The Scanlan Law Group has the necessary experience. We have successfully sued machinery manufacturers, and we are not afraid to take them to trial if one of our clients has been injured. Accordingly, if you or someone you know have sustained a machinery or assembly line related injury, contact the Scanlan Law Group for a free initial consultation.