What Is the Most Common Type of Lift Truck Accident in Orange County?

If you work in any workplace that utilizes lift trucks or forklifts, you may have questions. What is the most common type of lift truck accident in Orange County? These vehicles are crucial for many types of work, including manufacturing and warehousing, but they are also very dangerous in many ways. Accidents can happen for various reasons, and it is important to know the biggest risks you face when working with or near lift trucks.

What Is the Most Common Type of Lift Truck Accident in Orange County?

Each year, thousands of people throughout California are injured while working, and injuries are especially common in construction, transportation, and warehousing, three fields in which the use of forklifts or lift trucks is quite common.

According to the National Safety Council, forklifts were responsible for 67 workplace deaths throughout the United States in 2023. That year, forklifts were also responsible for 24,960 injuries that required time away from work. Some of the most commonly reported types of forklift accidents in Orange County workplaces each year include:

• Tip-over accidents. Forklifts can be used to place or retrieve items on warehouse shelves, extending the fork arms to high spaces. If the operator attempts to move too much weight or if they attempt to move the lift truck with the arms fully extended, this can cause the forklift to tip over.
• Collisions. Forklifts are specialized vehicles that do not have a very high top speed, but they can still cause severe injuries when they collide with people, objects, shelving, or surfaces. These accidents are especially dangerous when someone is caught between a forklift and a wall or other object or surface.
• Mishandling. Forklift operators must have proper certification, and they must also have the experience required to maneuver these vehicles correctly. Mishandling a forklift is extremely dangerous. For example, an operator must use proper technique to move the forklift up and down sloped surfaces safely.
• Overloading. Forklifts have maximum carry weights that their operators must know and acknowledge. Additionally, there are usually weight limits that apply to different levels of extension for the lifting arm of the forklift. It may be able to carry maximum weight at floor level, but the maximum weight for a fully extended lift arm is likely lower. Failing to follow these safety guidelines can easily result in serious accidents.
• Defects. It’s possible for a defective forklift to result in serious injuries. In this case, the manufacturer could be liable for the resulting damages under product liability laws.

These are just a few examples of how forklift accidents can happen in Orange County. If you were recently injured in this kind of accident, you are likely to have many questions about your legal options. Duque & Price can help you make sense of your situation and, if another party is responsible for causing your accident, pursue compensation for the damages.

Forklift accidents can be extremely damaging. A victim may require extensive medical treatment and be unable to work during their recovery. They are also likely to experience tremendous pain and suffering from their injuries, and some are left permanently disabled. Whatever your situation entails, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney at your first opportunity after a lift truck accident of any kind in Orange County.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Number One Most Common Lift Truck Accident?

A: According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the number one most common lift truck accident is a tip-over accident. Roughly 42% of all forklift-related injuries in the United States each year are tip-over accidents, and such accidents are responsible for 24% of all forklift accident injuries. It’s possible for such accidents to happen when the forklift is overloaded or if the operator does not carry an item correctly with the lift arm extended.

Q: What Are the Other Common Causes of Lift Truck Accidents in Orange County?

A: The other common causes of lift truck accidents in Orange County include collisions with shelving and other objects, accidents from overloading forklifts, driving uphill or downhill incorrectly, failure to use seatbelts, caution indicators, and horns, and operating lift trucks under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Q: What Are the Most Common Injuries From Lift Truck Accidents?

A: Some of the most common injuries from lift truck accidents include traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, crushing injuries, and damage to internal organs. It is possible for a lift truck accident to result in serious injuries to the operator and to others around them. Many victims of these injuries will require extensive medical care and may be unable to work while they recover from their injuries.

Q: Can I Claim Compensation for a Forklift Accident at Work in Orange County?

A: You are likely eligible to claim compensation for a forklift accident at work in Orange County through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy as long as you were working in good faith and you were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You may also have grounds for legal recourse if a specific party directly caused the accident or if the accident resulted from a defective product.

Q: Should I Hire an Attorney After a Lift Truck Accident?

A: It’s a good idea to consult an attorney after a lift truck accident. Whether you were hurt while working or hurt as a bystander to a truck accident, your attorney can help you prove liability for the accident and claim compensation for the damages from the at-fault party. You may have more recovery options available to you than you initially expected, and hiring legal counsel is the optimal way to maximize your recovery.

Contact Us Today

The attorneys at Duque & Price can help you understand your legal options in the aftermath of a lift truck accident. No matter how your accident happened, you may have more avenues of recovery available to you than you expect, and our team will do everything we can to maximize your recovery. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our team and learn how we can assist you with your case.

About The Author

Brent A. Duque

From humble beginnings and son of hard-working immigrant parents, Brent Duque was raised in La Puente, California. After graduating from West Covina High School and Mt. San Antonio College, Mr. Duque went on to graduate from Cal State University Fullerton with a Bachelors degree in Political Science. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, Mr. Duque did his graduate studies in Education and Public Administration at California Polytechnic University Pomona. After working for other firms, Mr. Duque knew that if he opened his own firm, he could provide more aggressive representation, better communication with clients, and secure larger settlements and verdicts for his clients. In 2006, he started his firm and has had a remarkable and successful career that he attributes to his firm’s aggressive and relentless pursuit of justice for his clients. As owner and managing attorney of the firm, Mr. Duque has fought for and secured millions of dollars for his clients.

View all posts by Brent A. Duque →