Power Tools | Product Defects

Power Tool Injury Lawsuits

Investigating defective power tools & machine malfunction cases

Power tools are an essential part of modern construction, manufacturing, and home improvement projects. Unfortunately, when these tools are poorly designed, improperly manufactured, or sold without adequate warnings, they can cause catastrophic injuries. Victims of power tool accidents may have grounds to file product liability lawsuits against negligent manufacturers, distributors, or retailers.

Accidents involving defective power tools can be extremely severe, and lead to terrible injuries to workers in a number of likely industries. Faulty power tool injuries are most common in construction, oil and gas, agriculture, landscaping and tree care, manufacturing, roofing and home renovation.

Some power tools are inherently dangerous, and if safeguards are removed, the tools are not maintained properly or they are misused, the tools can lead to permanent injury.

Various saws, drills, shredders, hoists, nail guns, welding equipment, and other defective power tools are responsible for amputation and serious laceration incidents.

Injuries related to defective power tools are not merely limited to the workplace. Home injuries due to faulty tools and manufacturer defects are quite common.

An experienced personal injury lawyer may be able to file a product liability claim and recover medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. A claim can be filed against the manufacturer of the tool.

• Defect in the design of the equipment: if a defective tool is responsible for an injury, the manufacturer can be held liable. Experts will be needed to analyze the injury circumstances and the machines.
• Defect in the manufacturing of the tool: equipment may be manufactured outside normal protocol and produced differently than intended. If the defect causes injury, the manufacturer is liable for damages.
• Defect in the marketing of the tool: manufacturers may fail to adequately warn end-users and fail to include warning instructions with the equipment. If consumers are not properly warned of machine hazards, the manufacturer may be held liable by plaintiffs and a machinery accident lawyer.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Catastrophic Injury attorney and product liability lawyer representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of consumer product liability and defective power tool injury cases.

Recalled Power Tools

Workers should never be placed in a situation where they must operate unsafe equipment, and risk their life at the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has laws that help protect workers from retaliation from an employer that requires them to operate unsafe equipment.

Employees can file a complaint with OSHA and contact an experienced labor attorney. If an investigation finds evidence that supports a claim against an employer, the court of law in Ohio is likely to compensate victims for injuries caused, lost wages and benefits, and pain and suffering.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an agency charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products—products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. Recalls include:

• Metabo Rat Tail Angle Grinder
• Black and Decker Portable Table Saws
• Craftsman Portable Table Saws
• STIHL gas-powered chain saws
• Craftsman Gasoline chainsaws
• Remington Brand Chainsaws
• Makita Circular Saw
• All Power portable gasoline generators
• Kohler Portable Generators
• Klein Digital Clamp Meters
• Direct Distributors Air Angle Grinders
• Mirka Recalls Electric Random Orbital Sanders
• Bosch small angle grinders
• Metabo Ergo series 6-inch angle grinders
• Drill Master 18-Volt Cordless Drills
• Panasonic Metal Cutter Saw
• Dremel Model 8050 Rotary Tool
• Grizzly 10-inch hybrid table saws
• Hitachi Koki Pneumatic Nailer
• RIDGID Coil Roofing Nailer
• Bosch SkilSaw Miter Saw
• Harbor Freight Cordless Drill
• Ryobi Sheet Sanders
• Kawasaki cordless drill
• One World Technologies Electric Blower
• Craftsman Blower Vac
• GreenWorks blower/vacs
• Worx electric blower
• DeWALT Miter Saws

Defective Power Tools & Construction Injury

Construction workers are particularly prone to worksite injury, and many workplace injuries involve defective power tools. When a tool manufacturer sells a faulty product, victims have the right to sue the manufacturer in an injury and product liability claim.

Defective tool injuries can be catastrophic, and may also be attributed to a variety of negligent actions by an employer:

• Buying low quality tools for employees to use
• Not providing workers with personal safety equipment like gloves and goggles
• Failure to investigate worker safety complaints
• Improperly training workers on tool safety
• Removing safety stops or guards in work areas

Dangerous Power Tools

Almost any power tool that has not been tested properly and sold the public with design defects or made with inferior materials can cause injury. Many power tool defect lawsuits have been filed, targeting the following:

• Chain saws
• Table saws
• Circular saws
• Power drills
• Sanders
• Grinders
• Welding Injuries
• Lawn mowers
• Power vacuums
• Blowers
• Nail guns
• Hand-held power saws
• Drill presses
• Soldering irons
• Portable Generators
• Planers
• Batteries

Types of Power Tool Defects

Product liability lawyers and safety advocates have made power tool manufacturers accountable for the injuries caused by faulty tools. Inadequate instructions or the lack of safety devices on tools are common defects. Some tools simply do not work properly and lead to preventable accidents. Common tool defects include:

• Design flaw
• Manufacturing error
• Faulty components
• Lack of warnings
• Advertising inappropriate and unsafe uses of tool
• Marketing to an audience who lacks the ability to safely use the tool

Defective Nail Guns

In many construction jobs the use of nail guns is necessary. But employers have a duty to provide workers with safe equipment. Nail gun design defects often include a defect in the dual action firing system. Most nail guns are sold with a simultaneous trigger mechanism.

Roofing accidents and construction injury are much more likely with defective nail guns being sold and used in many job sites. Nail gun injuries can include the following:

• Puncture Wounds: puncture wounds cause major tissue and nerve damage, and greatly raises the risk of infection.
• Hand Fractures: a large number of nail gun injuries impact the hands of workers, with many reports of broken fingers and hands.
• Eye Injury: Defective nail guns and other power tools without safeguards lead to huge amount of work-related eye injuries each year. Eye trauma can cause the loss of sight and chronic pain.
• Brain Injury: nail guns fire nails at a great speed and have the ability to lead to serious head and brain injuries.

Defective Shapers

Defective shaper tools may be sold without basic safety guards. Design defects may make the tool dangerous even when used as intended. Certain defects may be caused by cheap materials or a lack of warnings. Any power tool should be maintained and inspected before use. Employers have a responsibility to do so.

Defective Chain Saws

Chain saws cause a great number of serious woodworking and landscaping injuries. All chain saws should have an anti-kickback safety device. A chain brake should be used, which can halt the chain in the event of a kickback. It sounds basic, but chain saws should be equipped with a hand guard that prevents a worker’s hand from hitting the moving chain.

Defective Table Saws

Table saws are one of the most dangerous power tools, and laceration injuries number in the thousands each year when saws are used improperly or defective table saws are sold to consumers.

A circular saw blade that is portable is even more hazardous and may not be produced with safety functions. Most table saws have an anti-kickback system, but does not always work as advertised. Saw injuries can be quite serious and are almost always preventable.

DeWalt has recalled some table saws because of a kickback and laceration hazard. Bosch Tool Corporation also issued a recall of table saws due to kickback problems.

Power Tool Accidents

Work accidents are much more likely to occur in work settings with defective tools. If hand tools and construction equipment is old and has not been properly maintained, no worker training may be able to prevent a power tool injury. Product liability cases and employer negligence lawsuits may be considered following any power tool injury on the job.

You may have several legal options and should contact a product recall attorney and workplace injury lawyer to discuss. The Lyon Firm will be able to assess your case and can file claims based on manufacturing negligence or unsafe work environment claims.

Tools and equipment used in factories, construction, and other work areas have the ability to cause permanent injuries, which can include:

• Amputations
• Puncture wounds
• Severe lacerations
• Nerve Damage
• Brain Injury
• Eye injury
• Bone fractures
• Severe burns

Power Tool Safety

OSHA recommends several prevention methods when operating machinery and power tools, including:

• Never carry tools by the cord or hose
• Never yank the cord or the hose to disconnect it from power
• Keep cords and hoses away from heat, oil, and sharp edges
• Disconnect tools when not using them, and when changing blades, bits, and cutters
• Keep all people not involved with the work at a safe distance
• Secure work with clamps or a vise
• Avoid accidental starting
• Maintain tools with care—keep tools sharp and clean
• Follow instructions in the user’s manual
• Do not wear loose clothing like ties, or jewelry that can become caught in moving parts
• Remove all damaged portable electric tools from use

Power Tool Injury Lawsuits

Consider that workers’ compensation may only compensate you for a small portion of actual damages. It’s also common for injury claims to be denied depending on employee status.

When tools are faulty or the machinery malfunctions, serious accidents and injuries are likely. Defective tool accidents and faulty equipment accidents are hazardous and can lead to permanent injuries and disabilities.

Equipment and tool manufacturers can be held liable in personal injury and product liability lawsuits. Employers may also be liable for machine malfunction and defective tool accidents if they fail to maintain or inspect machinery, fail to uphold OSHA safety standards, or fail to provide workers with the proper protective gear.

Employer negligence is no small matter, and The Lyon Firm works with OSHA experts to determine the root cause of any serious workplace injury. If the defective equipment was rented, then the rental company may also be liable.

Product liability cases are complicated and requires an experienced consumer safety attorney and engineers to investigate and review safety standards, workplace design, product design, product warnings, and quality control testing methods.

Many tools and machinery are inherently hazardous, but if a manufacturer fails to protect workers with basic safety manuals, automatic shutoff mechanisms, and clear warnings, they may face legal action.