On-the-job ladder falls cause thousands of preventable workplace injuries and deaths every year. In some cases, employers can be held liable for failing to properly train employees or provide a safe working environment.
What You Can Do & How a Ladder Fall Lawsuit Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting ladder fall induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by a ladder fall work accident, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Personal Injury Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: $5 Million Awarded in Ladder Fall Lawsuit
July 2017 — A man from Florida was awarded nearly $5 million for injuries he suffered after falling off an allegedly defective ladder that was purchased from Home Depot. According to his lawyers:
“The manufacturing defect in this ladder was ticking time bomb in the form of a misplaced rivet at the top of the ladder that was critical to the ladder’s function. The defect led to the fatigue fracture of a rivet where the hinge exists at the top of the ladder.”
Workplace Ladder Falls
Ladder falls are a persistent occupational safety hazard across many industries. Federal law requires companies to take reasonable steps to prevent ladder falls. Even so, a low safety culture and unsafe practices in many industries contributes to a steady rate of fall injuries every year.
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many of these incidents could be prevented:
“Circumstances associated with fall incidents in the work environment frequently involve slippery, cluttered, or unstable walking/working surfaces; unprotected edges; floor holes and wall openings; unsafely positioned ladders; and misused fall protection.”
How Many Workplace Ladder Falls Happen Every Year?
Statistics on workplace ladder falls in 2011 were published by the CDC in a report in April 2014. Work-related ladder falls were responsible for 113 deaths, 15,500 injuries that resulted in at least one day off work, and 34,000 non-fatal injuries that were treated in a hospital emergency room.
Risk-Factors
Men, older employees, and Hispanic workers are most likely to fall off a ladder because they are more likely to be on a ladder in the first place. Deadly falls are most common in industries like construction, mining, installation, maintenance, and repair. Non-fatal falls are most common in retail and wholesale industries.
Prevention
- Keep three points of contact (i.e., two feet and one hand) on the ladder.
- Don’t lean too far away from the ladder.
- Minimize use of the ladder by doing as much work as possible on the ground.
- Use aerial lifts instead of a ladder when possible.
- Check safety features before using the ladder.
- Lock spreaders in horizontal position.
- Choose the location carefully; only use a ladder on a safe, even surface.
- Train workers on how to safely use a ladder.
- Wear a helmet, safety harness, or other safety equipment.
Do I have a Ladder Fall Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting ladder fall induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was injured by a ladder fall work accident, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Personal Injury Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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