Whether you’re a professional carpenter, wood shop employee or weekend warrior, chances are that you’ve used a table saw. The ability to safely, accurately and efficiently make difficult cuts have made hand saws almost obsolete. Unfortunately, even a careful and experienced table saw operator can fall victim to catastrophic injury if the table saw is defective or malfunctions during operation.
File a Personal Injury Claim in PA or NJ
Table saws must be safe for use when operated properly for its intended purposes. However, a defective saw can cause traumatic injuries even when operated as intended. In many instances, this is a result of a defective design, missing safety features, product malfunction, packaging errors or shipping mistakes.
Our Philadelphia personal injury law firm handles product liability claims involving defective power saws and other defective power tools that cause injury while at work or home. Some types of injury claims that we handle include:
- Severed fingers and thumb amputations. Designed to quickly slice through dense blocks of wood, table saws generate more than enough power to partially or completely sever an operator’s thumb, finger, or hand. Not only do these injuries cause severe bleeding that requires urgent medical intervention – in addition, the loss of the digit can also make it difficult or impossible for the person to continue their career. Even if the finger is successfully reattached, the patient may experience numbness, reduced strength, and reduced dexterity.
- Severed tendons and ligaments. Tendons connect bones to muscles, while ligaments connect bones to other bones. If tendons and ligaments in the hands are sliced or severed, the victim will lose ability to control movement in the injured area.
- Severe bleeding. Table saws produce deep lacerations, or completely severe limbs and digits, almost instantaneously. If a vein or artery is nicked or severed, the victim will suffer extreme and rapid blood loss, potentially causing wrongful death.
- Permanent scarring. Cuts and laceration injuries often leave permanent scars behind. This can cause depression and lowered self-esteem that damages the victim’s relationships and reduces their quality of life. These effects tend to be especially pronounced in cases where the victim completely loses a body part, or survives a laceration to the face.
Compensation for Injuries Caused by Defective Products
State laws establish clear and rigorous safety standards for the manufacturers of power tools and industrial carpentry equipment. If a table saw, circular saw, band saw, chainsaw, or any other type of saw is defective the manufacturer may be liable for any injuries or fatalities that result from operation of the defective product.
Compensation may be available for victims of table saw accidents, regardless of whether the accident occurred at work or at home. Many states require injured employees to bring a workers compensation claim if injured on the job. However, employees may also have a separate claim against third parties, such as the product’s manufacturer or store which sold defective tools and equipment for use in the workplace.
In Pennsylvania or New Jersey, several types of compensation, known as “damages,” may be recovered for a defective product that causes injury. This includes but is not limited to:
- Medical bills, including physical therapy, hospitalization, prosthetics, ambulance transportation, surgery, and medication
- Future care and medical treatment
- Lost wages and future earnings loss
In addition to financial losses and medical costs, it may also be possible to recover non-economic damages, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium (loss of a marriage/spousal relationship)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
Philadelphia Defective Table Saw Injury Attorney
Power tool companies have a responsibility to design, test, and produce products that are safe for consumers and laborers to use as intended. When a saw operator is injured by a defective table saw the product’s manufacturer should be held responsible for the injury victim’s expenses and other losses.
If you were injured by a defective table saw our firm can help you fight for compensation and justice. To set up a free legal consultation contact the Wieand Law Firm, LLC at (215) 666-7777 right away. Your information will be kept confidential.
