If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Call 911 for a crushed foot or leg, a bone that looks out of place, numbness, heavy bleeding or if someone is pinned.
- 2Stop the jack and lower the load, or have a coworker do it, before checking the injury.
- 3Get your weight off the injured foot or knee. Do not walk on it to finish your shift.
- 4Tell your lead or supervisor right away, then report the injury in writing and keep a copy.
- 5Write down whether it was a manual or powered pallet jack, its unit number, the load, and what happened: a slope, a dock plate, a tight aisle or someone else steering.
- 6When safe, take photos of the jack, its wheels and brakes, the floor and the load.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
Pallet jacks injure workers in warehouses, grocery backrooms and retail stockrooms in several ways: running over a foot, pinning a leg against a rack or wall, a load shifting, or a powered jack lurching. A report that describes the type of jack, the load and the floor conditions is more useful than a general statement that you hurt your foot.
If a coworker, delivery driver or contractor was operating the jack, note their name and company. When someone outside your employer is involved, the situation may raise third-party questions later.
Your employer generally passes the report to its insurer to start a claim. Deadlines to report and to file vary by state, so do not wait for the swelling to go down before reporting. Check your state's workers' compensation agency for its rules.
Keep your report, photos, the jack's unit number, any maintenance tag, and every medical record together. Track shifts missed and changes to your hours.
Getting medical care
Foot and ankle injuries from a pallet jack can include bruising, broken bones and soft-tissue damage that are hard to judge from the outside. Get evaluated by a licensed clinician, who decides what imaging or care is appropriate. Mention whether the wheel rolled over your toes, the top of your foot or your heel, and whether you were wearing steel-toe boots.
Tell them the injury happened at work. Some states and employers require you to start with a certain clinic, so ask your supervisor or adjuster which provider to see. Follow-up may involve foot and ankle care, orthopedics or physical therapy.
If you are prescribed medication, ask the pharmacy and the adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Home delivery can be a relief when you are on crutches or should keep your foot up.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- A powered pallet jack malfunctioned or had faulty brakes, which may involve the maker or a service company.
- A driver or worker from another company ran the jack into you.
- The claim is denied, or you are told you should have been wearing different footwear and it is your fault.
- You have a fracture or crush injury that keeps you off your feet for a long time.
- You are pressured to keep working on the injured foot.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Follow your care plan, including any instructions about weight-bearing, boots or crutches. Write down how far you can walk and how long you can stand, since warehouse work is often on your feet all day. Swelling can return after a long shift, so tell your clinician if it does.
Ask your clinician for written restrictions and share them with your employer. Seated or limited-walking tasks may be possible. If tasks offered go beyond your limits, raise it and keep notes.
Keep in contact with your adjuster and supervisor, especially when you have new imaging or a change in restrictions.
Questions to ask
- Was the pallet jack inspected recently, and can it be kept out of service?
- Who was operating the jack, and do they work for us or another company?
- Which clinic should I go to first?
- Doctor, should I be putting weight on this foot?
- What seated or light-duty tasks are available while I heal?
- Pharmacist or adjuster, how do I fill work-injury prescriptions, and is home delivery an option?
- Attorney, does another company's involvement change anything?
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I was injured by a pallet jack?
Get off the injured foot, get help, and call 911 for a crush injury or a bone that looks out of place. Report it to your supervisor and in writing. Get checked by a clinician even if you can walk.
A pallet jack ran over my foot but I can walk. Should I still get it checked?
Yes, getting evaluated is a good idea. Foot injuries can involve small fractures or tissue damage that are not obvious at first. Tell the clinician it happened at work.
Is a pallet jack injury covered by workers' comp?
It may be, depending on your state and the facts. Injuries from equipment used in your job are generally the kind of event workers' comp addresses. Report it promptly and check your state's rules.
What if a delivery driver ran the pallet jack into me?
Write down the driver's name, company and truck information if you can. When someone from another company causes an injury, it may raise third-party questions. People often ask an attorney about this.
Can I be blamed for not wearing safety shoes?
Questions about footwear sometimes come up, but they do not automatically decide a claim. How fault is treated depends on your state. If it becomes an issue, people often speak with an attorney.
Can I do light duty with a foot injury?
Often yes, if your clinician approves and your employer has suitable tasks. Ask for restrictions in writing. Share them with your supervisor.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).