Industrial Accidents

Hancock Estabrook has a team of attorneys who promptly advise clients on the proper response to industrial accidents, involving their equipment or employees. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week to provide rapid response. We advise an appropriate course of investigation, preservation of evidence, coordination among the various parties investigating the accident and communication with national or state regulators.

It is critical to develop a strategy for conducting an investigation after an industrial accident, which may involve the client’s employee or equipment. Our attorney can conduct or supervise the investigation so as to best protect the client’s interest in any subsequent claim, agency review or litigation. We have coordinated with local counsel, investigators and experts throughout the United States who can assist us in the investigation of the accident. Our attorneys have a great deal of experience in defending products liability and employee injury cases. As such, we understand how the initial investigation can influence the outcome of a subsequent action. Care is needed in properly obtaining statements, photographing or videotaping the scene, or conducting onsite tests to properly advise the client and to promote appropriate disclosure in any subsequent proceeding.

Preservation of evidence is critical to proper defense of a client. Our attorneys are skilled in determining which evidence should be secured including the appropriate methods of recording the accident scene as well as the careful and detailed inventory, storage and maintenance of the evidence to preserve the chain of custody for its subsequent use.

Our attorneys have worked with engineers whom we have identified to investigate industry specific accidents. Our office coordinates communications with the employer or its attorney for the proper protocol to inspect the site and investigate the accident at the earliest possible time. Absent cooperation from the owner of the accident site, we are skilled at obtaining prompt access through expedited application to a local judge. We have worked with local counsel throughout the United States who can assist us in this effort as well.

Finally, our attorneys are experienced in communicating with federal and state regulators, including the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), who routinely investigates these accidents. Prompt and appropriate communication with OSHA can affect its report, portions of which may be introduced into evidence in a subsequent proceeding.

We have advised our clients to communicate with us as soon as they become aware of an industrial accident. Please contact any of the below Hancock Estabrook 24/7 Attorney Response Team members to answer your questions, or to assist in the proper investigation of an industrial accident.

PLEASE CALL (315) 565-4598 IF YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH AN ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY ABOUT AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT-RELATED SITUATION.