Laundry Worker Gets Trial After Workplace Amputation
One of the most horrific injuries a person can suffer is degloving. This occurs when the skin and the fat below it are torn away from the anatomical structures they are normally attached to. This typically happens to hands in industrial accidents or car crashes, but can happen to other body parts as well.
This injury happened to a laundry worker in Paterson, New Jersey in September 2019. An ironer she was using had a disabled finger guard. This caused her hand to get stuck under the hot rollers and melt down to the bones. The woman had to have her hand amputated.
The woman filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in Bergen County in 2020. She sued American Laundry Corp. and the owner of Star Laundry on 16th Street in Paterson, where she worked. The woman will soon go to trial after a judge’s ruling, with her lawyer calling it “a small but mighty victory.”
According to the lawsuit, the woman was operating a heavy-duty commercial ironer. When her fingers, hand, and wrist passed under the ironer, they got pulled in and stuck in the hot rollers. A finger guard is a safety feature that is supposed to shut down the ironer if it is touched, but the finger guard on this ironer was purposely disabled.
A judge argued that the woman could not prove the enhanced burden to file the lawsuit against the owner of Star Laundry. Her attorney, however, stated that the defendants abused the court system and its valuable time by using financial resources to prolong the case.
After four years, the woman needs to achieve some justice, which means holding Star Laundry and others fully accountable for their egregious workplace negligence. This horrific injury should never happen to another person.
Before the woman lost her hand, Star Laundry had a history of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations resulting in fines. There was a violation in July 2016 in which OSHA cited Star Laundry for tampering with machinery guards that exposed employees to amputation hazards.
The owner of Star Laundry was at the laundry facility every day and should have known the safety guard was altered. The owner allegedly fixed the safety guards, gave false statements to OSHA about the incident, and destroyed video recordings of the incident.
A trial date is set for March 25. The owner of Star Laundry also owns a diner in Paterson that is currently being renovated. However, the renovations have been taking place without the required construction permits.
Contact a New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Employers need to ensure safety measures are in place. Deliberately removing safety features on equipment is a serious issue that can cause employees to suffer extreme harm.
A Morristown work-related accident attorney from The Law Offices of Michael P. Burakoff can help you get full and fair compensation for your injuries and other damages. We understand how difficult it can be for families to undergo the stress and hardship that a serious injury can cause. Call (973) 455-156 or fill out the online form to schedule a free consultation.
Source:
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