How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 1,841 severe cases involving you being struck by powered vehicles or machinery over the past decade. Fractures are the most frequent outcome, accounting for 41% of these incidents, which often require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
These events are uniquely dangerous because of the massive force involved. Injuries to fingers are common, often resulting in permanent damage or amputations that fundamentally change your ability to return to your previous job.
Common injuries
Most of these injuries involve industrial vehicles and trucks, which account for 33% of all reported sources. Accidents frequently occur when you are pinned between equipment and stationary objects, struck by reversing vehicles, or caught when machinery lunges unexpectedly during maintenance or operation.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fractures | 736 |
| 2 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 495 |
| 3 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 255 |
| 4 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 72 |
| 5 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 63 |
| 6 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 55 |
| 7 | Bruises, contusions | 41 |
| 8 | Intracranial Injuries | 31 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all sectors with 22% of these severe incidents. The high-paced nature of these sites, combined with the constant movement of heavy earth-moving machinery and transport trucks, creates a risk where visibility and separation between you and vehicles are often compromised.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you being pinned by pallet jacks, run over during vehicle repairs, or struck when a CO-worker accidentally engages a gearshift. These incidents often stem from a lack of clear safety zones or inadequate training on equipment operation. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking beside a pallet jack while operating it and became pinned between the pallet jack and some pallets. The employee sustained a fractured left leg." | |
| 2025 | TX | Retail Trade | "An employee was working under a pickup truck, changing out the shift linkage cable. The cable was being attached to the gear shift from within the cab. When the cable was pulled within the cab to connect it, the truck went into neutral and rolled over the employee's left shoulder. The employee suffered fractures to the left humerus, left shoulder blade, and left-side ribs, as well as severe contusions to the left shoulder." | |
| 2025 | PA | Other Services | "An employee was working on a tractor's brakes when the vehicle lunged forward and the tire rolled over his lower leg. He was hospitalized with bruising." | |
| 2025 | NJ | Accommodation & Food Services | "A chauffeur exited their vehicle. The vehicle (an SUV) ran over the chauffeur and crushed their pelvis resulting in hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was training a co-worker to use a forklift to empty a bulk bag into a hopper. The employee was standing under the forks and asked the co-worker to dismount the forklift and assist them. The co-worker contacted the gearshift while dismounting, setting the forklift to "forward." The injured employee was then pinned between the tipper and the forklift mast. The co-worker backed up the forklift to release the employee, causing him to drop to the ground. The employee was then struck by the contents of the bulk bag falling on his head and body. He was hospitalized with a fracture in his chest and injury to his back and abdomen." | |
| 2025 | PA | Retail Trade | "An employee was operating a rolling container carrier (RTC) vehicle in pedestrian mode. When he operated the hand lever to turn it, the RTC pinned his left leg against the pick location. The employee suffered a laceration on his left knee and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | GA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was loading freight in a trailer using a forklift. He exited the forklift and walked toward the nose of the trailer. The forklift began to roll forward, and its blade tore a tendon in his left foot/ankle." | |
| 2025 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee was working to move a pallet jack that had gotten stuck between the dock and the trailer. When the equipment was loosened, it struck the employee, throwing them backward onto the ground. The employee sustained fractured ribs and injury to their spleen and liver." | |
| 2025 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was stepping off a walkie rider pallet jack when their left foot was crushed between the pallet jack and the racks. The employee sustained a laceration and fracture to their left ankle." | |
| 2025 | CT | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was at ground level, using a reach tool to pull down a loose cardboard slip sheet from a fourth level rack slot. Upon releasing the slip sheet, it fell and depressed the accelerator of an electric utility cart, causing the cart to begin to drive away and strike the corner of the racking. The employee's lower left arm was caught between the cart and the racking. The employee was hospitalized with a fractures to their radius and ulna, and required surgery." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries, as internal damage may not be visible right away. Report the incident to your supervisor in writing to ensure an official record is created. An attorney can help you document the scene and ensure your Workers' Compensation claim is filed correctly.
Workers' Compensation is typically the primary path for recovery, but there are exceptions if a third party was involved or if your employer committed a gross safety violation. An attorney can help you evaluate whether your situation allows for a personal injury claim beyond standard benefits.
Fractures are the most common injury, followed by severe amputations. These injuries often require multiple surgeries and prolonged physical therapy. An attorney can help you calculate the full cost of your medical care and lost wages.
OSHA requires employers to maintain safe distances and implement traffic control plans to prevent vehicle-worker collisions. If your employer failed to enforce these safety protocols, it may strengthen your claim for benefits. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated specific safety standards.