Crush Injuries and Other Injuries Due to Being Caught or Stuck Between Objects

Each year, over 125,000 workers suffer crush injuries that occur when the body is caught or stuck between two objects, or entangled with machinery. Some refer to these hazards as “pinch points.” The physical force exerted upon the body caught in a pinch point can vary, causing injuries that range from mild bruising and scraping to amputated body parts, mangling, and even death.

Crush injuries are among the most serious injuries experienced by Maine workers. Workers injured in a pinch point may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits including payment of lost time, medical bills, and more.

There are numerous causes of crush injuries in the workplace, including:

• Being hit by a falling object, such as a large piece of equipment falling off scaffolding
• Being pinned or struck between two objects, such as a piece of metal and a building or two motor vehicles
• Being run over by machinery or equipment
• The collapse of structures, such a buildings on construction sites
• Limbs caught in machinery
• Equipment or machinery tipping over, catching the employee
• Defects in machinery

Crush injuries can occur in any industry, but most commonly happen in the manufacturing, production, and construction fields.

When your body is crushed between two objects, muscle cells begin to die almost instantaneously. Three mechanisms within the body cause the cells to die: lysis, ischemia, and vascular compromise. Lysis refers to the immediate disruption of cells that occurs when a part of the body is crushed. The pressure exerted on the muscle cells from the crushing causes the cells to be ischemic, during which period they generate a large amount of lactic acid, leading to leaking cells. When stuck in a pinch point, one’s vessels are often compressed, cutting off blood flow to muscles and tissue, and resulting in cell death.

Crush victims can sustain any number of injuries including:

• Damage to muscles
• Damage to nerves
• Damage to skin tissue
• Compartment syndrome
• Severing of limbs
• The need for amputation of limbs
• Broken bones
• Paralysis
• Organ damage
• Death

The extent of the crush injury will depend upon the amount of force of the crush, the part of the body involved, and the length of time the person is stuck between two objects. It is often the extremities, hands, feet, legs, and arms, involved in a crush accident, but nearly any body part or the entire person can become trapped.

Crush injuries frequently lead to severe disability, and have a high chance of additional complications, including infection, swelling, blood clots, phantom pain, the need for further amputation, and heart problems. Emotional consequences are also common, ranging from depression and anxiety to post traumatic stress disorder.

An experienced Maine workers’ compensation attorney can help you to obtain coverage for your medical bills, including those arising due to complications, psychological trauma, ongoing permanent disability, and more. Even if the accident was partially your fault, you can still receive full compensation.

Experiencing a crush injury while on the job is a traumatic, painful, and frightening experience. Those workers who suffer such severe injuries deserve the top compensation allowed under Maine’s workers’ compensation system. At Maine Employee Rights Group, we will zealously fight for your recovery, navigating you through the insurance process towards a complete recovery, both physically and financially. We operate on a contingency fee basis and offer several convenient meeting locations. Call us today at 207.874.0905 to schedule an initial consultation.