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Nail Gun Defects and Safety Issues

Since 1991, pneumatic driven nailers or nailgun injuries have risen about 200 percent, the Centers for Disease Control said in an April 2007 weekly report on death and disease. The CDC noted that this increase likely corresponded to an increase in availability of inexpensive pneumatic nail guns and air compressors (to power the nail guns) in home hardware stores.
While the number of work-related nailgun injuries has stayed stable since 1998, consumer-related injuries have soared. "During the 5-year period 2001-2005, an average of approximately 37,000 patients with injuries related to nail-gun use were treated annually in emergency departments, with 40 percent of injuries occurring among consumers," the report read. Emergency departments treated three times as many consumers with nail-gun injuries in 2005 as they did in 1991, the report noted.    
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More recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows companies in California alone reported 1,890 nail gun injuries leading to missed work days from 2003 to 2006. This tally is thought to be only a small portion of those injured in part because undercounting is widespread, according to a 2006 report by the state Legislative Analyst's Office.
A more comprehensive national estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that 42,000 people are treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments each year with nail gun injuries – more than 100 a day.
Automatic Contact Trip Nail Guns
A factor contributing to nail gun injuries may be the increased popularity of contact trip guns. According to an investigative report by the Sacramento Bee, emergency room physicians, forensic engineers, attorneys and occupational safety researchers believe that a majority of nail gun injuries could be prevented by switching all guns to a one-at-a-time sequential firing system instead of the more popular contact trip mechanism, which automatically fires upon contact.
According to a team of St. Louis-based forensic engineers, the contact trip feature, together with the trigger's location on most nail guns, contribute to serious injuries. Despite nail gun makers' warnings not to carry the tool by the trigger, many users do so because the center of gravity of the tool is located just above the trigger and the design of the handle and trigger encourage the user to maintain the holding grip on the tool with the same fingers that are used to pull the trigger.
Legal Rights of the Injured
The law in most states provides individuals with legal claims and the right to compensation for injuries they suffer as a result of a defective product or the negligence of another. The injured person may file a lawsuit seeking compensation for his or her pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost past and future wages and punitive damages.
Contact Product Safety/Personal Injury Attorneys
If you were injured by a nail gun you believe was unsafe, please click here to contact an experienced personal injury attorney at the national law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP.
About Lieff Cabraser
Founded in 1972, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is an over fifty attorney law firm with offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville. For the last seven years, the National Law Journal has recognized Lieff Cabraser as one of the top 20 plaintiff law firms in America.
For our personal injury cases, we bring a team of experienced lawyers. Each client is assigned an individual lawyer. In addition, we have on staff multiple nurses, legal assistants, scientific analysts and case clerks to assist the attorneys. To learn more about our firm, click here.
     Trademark Notice: Personal Injury Lawyer America is an electronic newsletter from Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. Lieff Cabraser represents clients in a wide range of cases, including personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Our personal injury attorneys | lawyers are committed to providing the very best representation and support possible for our clients.
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