Emergency medical workers were called just before 9:30 a.m. on July 14, 2015 to a garage in Blackwood, New Jersey, after a 29-year-old automobile mechanic became trapped beneath a vehicle he was repairing. Initially reported on NJ.com, the Lumberton, New Jersey man was performing repair work at Rossco’s Collision Auto Body Repair Shop, when the recreational vehicle he was working under fell on top of him. Fellow mechanics were able to pull the injured man out from under the vehicle before paramedics arrived on the scene. Once stabilized, the man was transported to Cooper University Hospital’s trauma center where he underwent emergency medical treatment. As of the evening of July 14, 2015, the man was still listed in critical condition.
Both Gloucester Township Police Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have opened investigations into the potential cause of the accident.
Garages maintain and repair various types of motorized vehicles including trucks, cars, motorcycles, ATVs and other recreational vehicles. Automotive garages can be hazardous places to work or otherwise occupy. Toxic fumes from various chemicals and processes, as well as dangerous tools and automated machines, can pose significant risks to mechanics in performing their specialized work. Garage owners and operators have a duty to provide their employees with the safest possible conditions in which to work; and must comply with federal, state and local rules and guidelines to ensure safety and minimize the risk of accidents. If an accident occurs due to an employer’s or property owner/manager’s negligent or careless acts or omissions, those parties can be held responsible for damages suffered by the victim. Additional claims against negligent third parties, including outside contractors, and the manufacturers and/or distributors of mechanical devices and tools may also be pursued.
To get more information with regard to your legal rights, contact the NJ workplace injury attorneys at Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari. We can provide an evaluation of your potential claim at no cost to you. Call: 973-845-4421.