Nail Gun Accident

One of the most common tools used in the construction industry is the nail gun. These powerful handheld tools increase productivity and can drive nails through wood and metal in a fraction of a second.

There are several different types of nail guns, including pneumatic, electric, gas, and hybrid power as well as nail guns for specific projects.

Many professional contractors or carpenters use the pneumatic variety but major workplace injuries can happen regardless of the type of gun due to both design defects and negligent operation of this common construction tool.

The Chicago personal injury attorneys Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC are committed to investigating and prosecuting accidents involving power tools that have caused a serious injury. Our construction accident lawyers will do what it takes to locate every potential source of recovery to compensate you for your injuries.

This may mean filing a workers' compensation claim or pursuing a product liability case against the manufacturer. The construction site accident lawyers of our law offices can assist you in that claim.

We regularly work with clients on a contingency fee basis in Cook County, Will County, Lake County, Kane County, and DuPage County. If you give us a phone call or use our contact form, we can schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim including any sensitive information (i.e. personal injuries, medical expenses, etc.)

Common Types of Chicago Nail Gun Injuries

According to the Center for Disease Control, nail guns are responsible for 37,000 visits to the emergency room every year for injures requiring medical attention. With the power to shoot a nail through wood or even steel, these tools have no difficulty driving a nail through human flesh and bone.

Nail guns are common in construction projects and two-thirds of all nail gun injuries come from framing or sheathing work regularly performed by carpenters and roofers. The types of injuries can vary from minor punctures to severe, even fatal, injuries.

• Over 50% of nail gun injuries are to the hands or fingers. Over 25% of these cause structural damage to the tendons, joints, nerves, or bones.
• The second highest area of nail injuries is in the lower extremities of the body including the thigh, knee, or foot.
• Serious nail gun injuries have resulted in paralysis, bone fractures, brain damage, and even death.
• In a study of carpenter apprentices, 2 out of 5 had at least one nail gun injury in their first four years of training.

Causes of Nail Gun Accidents in Illinois

There are several reasons that nail gun accidents occur, many of them preventable. There are specific safety standards that should be adhered to by employers that are set by OSHA and proper training on the use of nail guns is recommended. Some of the most common causes of nail gun accidents are:

• Double fire. Contact nail triggers are prone to double firing, especially with employees new to handling these types of nail guns. The second nail that is accidentally released can cause injury.
• Hitting the safety contact. In both contact and single-action triggers, if the user holds down the trigger and the safety contact is bumped, the gun can fire one or several nails. This is extremely dangerous, as the nail gun may not be pointed at a surface when it happens.
• A nail “blow-out” happens when the nail hits a knot in the wood and flies off in another direction, often airborne.
• Misses. Sometimes the nail can miss the workpiece all together and become airborne, landing in the next convenient object.

Nail Gun Accident Frequently Asked Questions

Our Chicago construction accident lawyers work with victims of nail gun accidents and frequently hear repeated concerns from them. We have assembled the answers to these frequently asked questions here for your review.

Building a Nail Gun Injury Case With an Experienced Chicago Personal Injury Law Firm

There are many issues that need to be considered in a nail gun injury when deciding liability. If you have been injured on the job by a nail gun, you need a construction worker injury attorney that understands the construction industry and all the laws pertaining to work injuries and defective products.

Our team of experienced construction injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can advise you on your best route to receiving the most compensation for your injuries. We would be happy to meet with you for a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options under workers' compensation, negligence law, or product liability.

Further Reading for General Information Purposes

• Nail Gun Safety
• Nail-Gun Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments --- United States, 2001--2005
• Statistics Show Rise in Nail Gun Injuries