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Scissor Lift Accidents in Illinois: Causes, Liability and Claims
Most scissor lift accidents in Illinois involve tip-overs, falls from the platform, or structural collapses, and the resulting injuries are often severe enough to end a career. Liability frequently extends beyond the employer to the equipment rental company or manufacturer, which is why a full investigation matters before any claim moves forward.
Helping Illinois Workers Injured in Scissor Lift Accidents Recover Maximum Compensation
Scissor lifts present unique risks on a construction site. If you get hurt while using or standing near a scissor lift, you could suffer serious injuries that put you out of work. A scissor lift accident claim attorney from IL Work Injury Lawyer can guide you through the claims process to pursue compensation.
Why Choose IL Work Injury Lawyer
Our firm has received an A+ grade from the Better Business Bureau, and our head attorney serves as a contributing author for the National Law Review. We also have experience in lift accident cases and have secured millions for our clients at a 98% success rate.
Jamal, a 42-year-old electrician from Garfield Park, suffered severe electrical burns when his aerial lift hit an unmarked live power line at a West Loop construction site. He was left with permanent nerve damage due to poor site safety and contractor negligence. The accident settlement was worth $10.5 million.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; every case is evaluated on its own facts.
What Are Common Causes of Scissor Lift Accidents in Illinois?
- Failure to provide fall protection safety equipment
- Operating on slopes, holes, or unstable surfaces
- Exceeding the lift’s weight capacity
- Property owner negligence
- Lack of operator training
- Defective scissor lift design
- Poor maintenance
- Moving the lift without proper precautions
Why Do Scissor Lifts Tip Over?
A scissor lift tip-over rarely comes down to a single careless moment, it is almost always a site-condition or equipment failure the employer should have caught first.
Common causes include:
- Uneven or soft ground that shifts under the lift’s weight
- Exceeding the platform’s rated load capacity
- Elevating the platform while parked on a slope
- Wind loading at height, which can destabilize an extended platform during outdoor or rooftop work
- Driving the lift while it is elevated
- Missing or unset outriggers, which are meant to widen the lift’s stable base
These are the same site-condition failures behind many scaffolding and ladder falls, a lost stable base, not necessarily operator error. Workers hurt in similar circumstances on scaffolding or ladders can review our page on scaffolding and ladder falls for a closer look at how those claims are built.
What Is the Most Common Scissor Lift Accident?
Tip-overs and falls from the platform account for most scissor lift injuries. Structural collapse and contact with overhead power lines happen less often but tend to cause some of the most severe outcomes.
| Accident Types | Common Mechanism | Typical Injury | Relative Frequncy |
| Tip-over | Uneven ground, overloading, slope, wind | Fractures, spinal injury | Most common |
| Fall from platform | Missing guardrails, no fall protection, fall from height | Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury | Common |
| Structural collapse | Defective components, poor maintenance, worker caught-between platform and structure | Crush injuries, fatal injuries | Less common, often severe |
| Contact with overhead power lines | Lift raised near power slines | Burns, electrocution injuries, cardiac arrest | Occur mainly outdoors |
What Are Common Scissor Lift Injuries?
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Electrocution burns
- Fatal injuries
What Damages Can Injured Workers Recover in Illinois?
Under state law 820 ILCS 305, injured construction workers can seek lost wages, medical expenses, TTD benefits, PPD/PTD benefits, and death benefits for surviving family members through workers’ compensation for construction workers.
Personal injury victims can pursue damages if they are no more than 50% liable for their accidents (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). You can recover lost wages, medical expenses, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of normal life after a scissor lift accident.
What Is the Average Scissor Lift Accident Payout?
The range of scissor lift accident payouts is $80,000 to $16.55 million. The average settlement is almost $3 million. Factors that affect your claim’s value include fall height, injury severity, ability to work, OSHA violations, and defective scissor lift claims.
These figures reflect scissor lift and aerial lift accident settlements and verdicts our firm has tracked in Illinois construction injury cases. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; every case is evaluated on its own facts.
Why You Need an Illinois Scissor Lift Injury Claim Lawyer
The presence of multiple defendants can complicate matters. You may need to prove liability for the employer, general contractor, equipment rental company, or manufacturer.
Another challenge you’ll face is the defense strategy of the at-fault party, which could involve:
- Claiming that the victim was improperly using the lift
- Arguing that the lift was in good condition
- Alleging no PPE compliance
- Comparative fault allegations
IL Work Injury Lawyer can overcome these defenses with maintenance records, witness statements, surveillance footage, and OSHA investigations.
How Common Are Scissor Lift Accidents in Illinois?
In 2024, there were four scissor lift accidents reported in Chicago alone. All four of these incidents resulted in the deaths of construction workers or other employees.
Nationally, the trend is just as sobering. CDC/NIOSH research tracking the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries identified 306 aerial lift deaths across the country between 1992 and 2003, and found that 78 of those fatalities specifically involved scissor lifts.
Where Do Scissor Lift Accidents Happen Most in Illinois?
- Warehouse and distribution centers in Cook County
- Store renovations in suburban Chicago
- Airport construction projects at O’Hare and Midway
- Industrial plants in Cicero, Joliet, and Bedford Park
OSHA Scissor Lift Regulations
If you want to take advantage of the benefits workers’ compensation covers, you may need proof of OSHA violations.
OSHA has several regulations regarding the safe operation of scissor lifts:
- Only trained employees can operate scissor lifts
- Scissor lifts must be equipped with guardrails to maximize safety
- Employers must ensure scissor lifts are stable and cannot tip over or collapse
Scissor lifts fall under OSHA’s scaffold standard (29 CFR 1926.451), not the aerial lift standard, a distinction most safety content online gets wrong. It matters because it determines which guardrail, fall protection, and stability rules apply to a claim.
Under this classification and OSHA’s related mobile scaffold rule (29 CFR 1926.452(w)), employers must also meet:
- Guardrail requirements with top rails, mid rails, and toe boards able to withstand a load
- Fall protection and fall arrest expectations that go beyond a harness alone
- Pre-use inspection of the lift before each shift
- Operator training and documented competency, consistent with ANSI A92 standards
Understanding OSHA construction regulations can help clarify whether a violation contributed to your injury.
How Long Do Injured Construction Workers Have to Take Legal Action in Illinois?
- 735 ILCS 5/13-202 – Injured victims have two years to file a personal injury case
- 820 ILCS 305/6(d) – Workers have three years from the date of the injury or two years from the last payment of benefits to file a workers’ compensation claim.
- 740 ILCS 180/2 – Surviving family members have two years to pursue wrongful death damages after the victim’s passing
Who Can Be Liable for a Scissor Lift Accident in Illinois?
- Employer (workers’ comp only)
- General contractor
- Lift rental company
- Equipment manufacturer
- Property owner
- Maintenance companies
How to Strengthen Your Scissor Lift Accident Case
The following steps can help you build a strong claim after a catastrophic injury:
- Report the accident immediately
- Seek medical care
- Photograph the scissor lift
- Get witness contact information
- Preserve defective equipment
- Contact our top-rated law firm in Chicago
How IL Work Injury Lawyer Can Help
Our legal team can provide the following services:
- Filing workers’ comp claims
- Pursuing product liability lawsuits
- Working with OSHA and engineering experts
- Negotiating maximum settlements
- Litigating in Cook County Circuit Court or other Illinois courts
Scissor Lift Accident FAQs
What is the most common type of scissor lift accident?
Tip-overs and falls from the platform cause most scissor lift injuries. Both usually trace back to unstable ground, an overloaded platform, or a missing guardrail rather than a single moment of operator error.
How many fatalities occur each year due to scissor lift accidents?
CDC/NIOSH data identified 78 scissor-lift-specific fatalities out of 306 total aerial lift deaths nationwide between 1992 and 2003. In Illinois, all four scissor lift accidents reported in Chicago in 2024 proved fatal.
How safe is a scissor lift?
A scissor lift, a type of aerial work platform, also called a mobile elevating work platform, is safe only when its guardrails are intact, the ground is level, and the load stays within rated capacity. Remove any one of those conditions and the risk of a tip-over or fall rises sharply.
Can I sue the equipment rental company?
In many cases, yes. Rental companies can be held liable for renting out a defective or poorly maintained lift. See “Who Can Be Liable for a Scissor Lift Accident in Illinois?” above for the full list of potentially liable parties.
Who is liable if I fell from a scissor lift?
Liability can fall on the employer, general contractor, rental company, manufacturer, or property owner, depending on what caused the fall. See “Who Can Be Liable for a Scissor Lift Accident in Illinois?” above.
Book a Free Consultation
IL Work Injury Lawyer operates on a contingency fee basis. This means you owe nothing unless we win the case. Additionally, we also offer a free consultation so you can ask questions about common causes of scissor lift accidents, your workers’ compensation, or third-party liability claim.
We can represent clients across the state. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation with a Chicago construction accident attorney.
Legally Reviewed By
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld
Content legally reviewed by Jonathan Rosenfeld The information on this page has been legally reviewed by Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld, founder and managing partner of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC. With extensive experience representing injured workers across Illinois, Mr. Rosenfeld is dedicated to helping workplace accident victims pursue the maximum compensation available under the law. His extensive legal knowledge and commitment to client advocacy ensure that the information provided is accurate, reliable, and aligned with current legal standards.