Can I sue a machinery manufacturer for an injury at work?

If a defect in the design, manufacture, or labelling of a machine contributed to your injury, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may be available. This route is separate from workers' compensation and does not require proving that your employer was negligent. An attorney can assess whether this route is open to you.

What if the machine had no safety guard?

Missing or inadequate machine guarding is a common factor in industrial machinery injuries. Depending on the circumstances, responsibility may lie with the machine manufacturer, with the company that removed or disabled guarding, or with the employer or maintenance contractor responsible for maintaining safety equipment.

What evidence is important in a machinery injury claim?

Key evidence includes the machine itself (which should be preserved if possible), maintenance and inspection records, manufacturer documentation and manuals, the accident report, photographs, OSHA records, and medical documentation of the injuries.

What injuries does machinery commonly cause?

Industrial machinery is responsible for some of the most serious workplace injuries, including amputations, crush injuries, degloving injuries, fractures, eye injuries, and death. The severity means these cases often involve significant claims.

Practice Area

Machinery Injury Lawyers

Quick answer

Machinery injury lawyers handle claims arising from industrial equipment failures, inadequate machine guarding, defective parts, and maintenance failures. Where a machinery manufacturer or contractor contributed to the injury, a product liability or negligence claim may be available alongside — or instead of — workers' compensation.

Contact with objects and equipment — including industrial machinery — caused 729 fatal work injuries in the United States in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (2022)

Machinery injury lawyers handle claims arising from industrial equipment failures, missing guards, defective designs, and unsafe maintenance practices. Where the machine itself was defective, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may exist alongside any workers\' compensation claim — and the two routes are not mutually exclusive.

Reviewed by Gerald Lee Cross Jr, Managing Partner · Cross & York LLP

Why Machinery Injuries Can Give Rise to Multiple Claims

Workers' compensation may cover some losses after a machinery injury. But where the machine itself was defective — poorly designed, inadequately guarded, or missing safety features — a product liability claim against the manufacturer may also be available.

Where a maintenance contractor serviced the machine and left it in an unsafe condition, that contractor may also face legal liability. An attorney can investigate the full circumstances.

Common Types of Machinery Involved

Presses and stamping machines
Conveyors and rollers
Lathes, mills, and cutting machines
Packaging and wrapping equipment
Mixing and crushing equipment
Automated assembly machinery
Loading and unloading equipment
Forklifts and industrial vehicles

Common Causes of Machinery Injuries

Missing or inadequate machine guarding
Failure of safety switches or interlock systems
Defective design that creates pinch or entrapment hazards
Inadequate maintenance allowing dangerous conditions to develop
Improper modification or disabling of safety features
Failure to provide adequate training or warnings

Injuries Caused by Industrial Machinery

Traumatic amputations and degloving
Crush injuries and fractures
Eye and facial injuries
Burn injuries from hot surfaces or electrical faults
Spinal injuries
Death

Machinery Injury Data

Contact with objects and equipment — the BLS category that includes machinery entrapments, struck-by incidents, and caught-in/between accidents — is consistently one of the leading causes of fatal work injuries in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this event category accounted for approximately 17 percent of fatal work injuries in 2022, representing around 705 deaths. OSHA's machine guarding standard (29 CFR 1910.217) is among the most frequently cited general industry violations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2022; OSHA enforcement data.

How an Attorney Can Help

Machinery injury cases often require expert engineering analysis to establish whether a defect existed or whether maintenance failures contributed. An attorney can arrange for the machine to be preserved and inspected. Related: factory accident lawyers, defective equipment claims, and crush injuries & amputations.

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Legal Notice: The information on this page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances affect all legal claims. Contacting this firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. This content may be considered attorney advertising.

Who May Be Legally Responsible?

In industrial accident cases, legal responsibility may extend beyond the immediate employer. Other companies, contractors, or manufacturers may have contributed to the conditions that caused the injury.

Equipment manufacturers

Where defective machinery, tools, or safety equipment contributed to the injury

Maintenance contractors

Where poor maintenance of machinery or the worksite created dangerous conditions

Site owners and premises operators

Where the condition of the premises contributed to the accident

General contractors

Where a general contractor had responsibility for site safety

Subcontractors

Where a subcontractor's work or conduct contributed to the incident

Trucking and logistics companies

Where industrial vehicle operators or their employers were involved

Chemical suppliers

Where a supplier provided inadequately labelled or unsafe chemicals

Safety contractors

Where a company responsible for safety systems or training failed in its duties

Other negligent third parties

Other companies or individuals whose negligence may have contributed

Whether any of these parties may be legally responsible depends on the specific facts of each case. An attorney can investigate what happened and identify all potentially liable parties.

What a Claim May Cover

Types of Compensation That May Be Available

The types of compensation available depend on the specific facts of each case, the applicable state law, and who is found legally responsible. An attorney can review your situation and explain what may apply.

We do not promise any particular outcome. Every case is different and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Medical care and treatment costs

Including emergency care, surgery, hospitalisation, and specialist treatment

Lost wages and income

Earnings lost during recovery or absence from work

Reduced earning capacity

Where an injury affects future ability to work or earn at the same level

Pain and suffering

Where available under applicable state law

Future medical care

Ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care where required

Disability

Permanent or partial disability damages where applicable

Disfigurement

Where the injury has caused lasting physical disfigurement

Wrongful death damages

Available to qualifying family members where an industrial accident caused death

Frequently Asked Questions

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Related Practice Areas

Defective Equipment Claims →

Product liability for faulty tools and equipment.

Crush Injuries & Amputations →

Serious crush and amputation injury claims.

Factory Accident Lawyers →

Claims arising from manufacturing plant accidents.

Third-Party Claims →

Claims against contractors and manufacturers.

Evidence for Your Claim →

What to preserve after a machinery accident.

Industrial Accident Lawyers →

Overview of industrial accident claims.