Santa Paula, CA — A man was hospitalized after getting his arm stuck inside a piece of machinery in an industrial accident in Santa Paula, California, on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. The accident took place at a facility near the intersection of East Telegraph Road and Padre Lane, around 12:30 in the afternoon.
The name of the man injured in the accident hasn’t been released. Local officials say that the man got his arm stuck inside the machine, but that emergency workers were able to quickly remove him.
The victim was handed off to paramedics who airlifted him to Ventura County Medical Center. He was admitted to the facility’s trauma unit.
How the accident took place is not yet known. Authorities are investigating the accident.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Accidents like this can happen in several different ways, so how this particular accident is handled is really going to depend on what caused it. Now, it’s typically the case that a work accident is handled through an employer’s workers’ comp policy. As many know, workers’ comp will pay out benefits to an injured worker they can use for things like medical bills or lost time. Workers’ comp laws won’t allow an employee to file a claim against their employer (in most cases). However, it’s often the case that an accident like this can be caused by a third party. Perhaps the machine was defective in some way, and the accident happened through no fault of the employee or the employer. In that case, the employee would have the right to file a claim against the manufacturer or the machine. He would also remain eligible for the workers’ comp benefits, as the accident happened while he was on the clock. Obviously, a rigorous investigation of the accident will be needed to know for sure what caused it.
— Grossman Law Offices