WHEN AERIAL LIFTS FAIL – HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DEFECTS
Aerial lifts and bucket trucks are essential tools for utility workers, electricians, telecommunications crews, and contractors in Georgia and across the country. These machines rely on powerful hydraulic cylinders, hoses, and load-holding valves to safely elevate workers dozens of feet in the air.
But when a hydraulic system fails, the consequences can be catastrophic. Sudden boom collapse, unexpected descent, violent jerking movement, or tip-over incidents frequently result in death and catastrophic injuries, including, but not limited to, brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and crushed limbs, among many others.
If you or a loved one was injured in a bucket truck or aerial lift accident, the cause may not be operator error. It may be a product defect.
How Hydraulic Systems Power Aerial Lifts
Most bucket trucks and aerial platforms depend on high-pressure hydraulic systems that include:
- Hydraulic cylinders
- High-pressure hoses and fittings
- Counterbalance or load-holding valves
- Pumps and control valves
- Seals and O-rings
When properly designed and maintained, these systems provide controlled, stable lifting. However, when even one component fails, gravity takes over.
Common Hydraulic Failure Modes in Bucket Trucks
- Sudden Loss of Pressure – A ruptured hose or failed fitting can cause rapid descent.
- Cylinder Seal or Rod Failure – Internal bypass can lead to uncontrolled lowering.
- Defective Load-Holding Valves – Without proper redundancy, a hose failure can result in free-fall.
- Hose Abrasion and Improper Routing – Predictable wear points can weaken hoses over time.
These failures are often foreseeable and preventable with safer alternative designs.
Georgia Product Liability Claims for Aerial Lift Accidents
Under Georgia product liability law, manufacturers can be held responsible when equipment is:
- Defectively designed
- Improperly manufactured
- Sold without adequate warnings
- Kept on the market despite known safety risks
Hydraulic system failures frequently involve internal corporate knowledge, prior field reports, warranty data, and engineering analyses. If safer alternatives were feasible but ignored, a design defect claim may exist.
Additionally, many of those tasked with maintaining and/or repairing the hydraulic systems may do so negligently, ignoring routine maintenance, cutting corners and ignoring vital specifications to make sure the system does not fail.
Workers’ Compensation Is Not the Only Remedy
While injured workers in Atlanta and across Georgia may receive workers’ compensation benefits, they may also have a third-party product liability claim against:
- The aerial lift manufacturer
- The hydraulic component manufacturer
- A distributor or upfitter
- A negligent maintenance provider
While workers compensation benefits may be available and can be helpful, those benefits are not full compensation for someone’s injuries. A successful product liability lawsuit may allow recovery for wrongful death, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical expenses, and in appropriate cases, punitive damages.
Cash Krugler Fredericks – Your Products Liability Attorneys
While proudly serving clients in Atlanta and throughout Georgia, our firm handles serious aerial lift and heavy equipment defect cases nationwide. We work with engineers and hydraulic system experts to uncover the true cause of equipment failure and hold those responsible accountable.
When companies cut corners or ignore known risks, we are Fighting to Make It Right.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a hydraulic cylinder failure, contact our firm for a free case review. If your family has been affected, you deserve answers — and accountability. For over 20 years, the attorneys at Cash Krugler Fredericks have fought for victims of defective and dangerous products across the country. These injuries are preventable, and those responsible must be held accountable. Contact us today for a free consultation.
