Crane Accidents

Construction has been ongoing in New York City for more than 100 years. Construction sites are everywhere, and they all include cranes. You can’t build a skyscraper without one, and cranes are so prevalent that they are part of the skyline.

Weighing as much as 4,000 tons, cranes are more powerful than ever before. They can lift bigger and heavier loads than in previous years. But when something goes wrong, your life—and the lives of others—changes in an instant.

Crane injuries from accidents are some of the most common on construction sites. These large, dangerous machines have safety protocols, but they’re not always followed. An operator may not be trained properly or be fully aware of relevant safety measures. A crane accident can leave you with severe injuries that can impact your entire life, prevent you from where it returning to work and leave you with expensive medical costs.

A crane accident while abruptly losing your livelihood can make recovery even more difficult. This adds to the stress of dealing with either a worker’s compensation claim or a personal injury lawsuit and can leave you exhausted. When you work with a personal injury attorney who understands crane accidents, you can concentrate on convalescing and getting back on your feet and leave the legal problems to someone who knows how to handle them.

How a crane accident happens in New York City.

Crane accidents happen for one reason: negligence. This can lead to a wide number of conditions that result in catastrophic accidents. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Crane collapsing
• Inadequate maintenance on the crane
• Inexperienced and unqualified crane operators
• Overloaded cranes that are too heavy
• Loads that unexpectedly drop
• Improper foundation for the crane
• Improperly set up cranes with stabilizing outriggers, leading to the crane overturning
• Failure of the crane’s hoist
• Rigging failures
• The collapse of the crane boom
• Unclear operating procedures or frequent changes to them
• Miscommunication between onsite workers
• Contact with electrical lines
• Accidents while assembling or dismantling a crane
• Improperly designed, built, or maintained cranes
• Inadequate communication between employees

OSHA has very strict requirements for crane use on construction sites that companies are required to follow. New York also has its own laws that directly address construction safety for workers:

• New York Labor Law Section 240(1) requires building owners to erect and provide safety equipment for workers, such as scaffolding, ladders, hoists, pulleys, blocks, braces, ropes, etc.
• New York Labor Law Section 241(6) requires that equipment and machinery at construction sites to be properly constructed and operated to offer realistic and sufficient protection for anybody working on a site.

Accident Injuries From Crane Accident

For employees, vendors, as well as pedestrians, and bystanders, a crane accident can be devastating with life-altering injuries.

On their own, cranes are inherently dangerous. Because of this additional danger, cranes can cause a wide range of injuries, including:

• Bone fractures
• Burn injuries
• Lacerations
• Injuries that lead to amputation
• Blunt force injuries
• Upper body injuries, including chest and ribs
• Crush injuries
• Head and neck injuries
• Spinal injuries, including damage to the spinal cord
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Wrongful death

Because of the nature of crane accidents, the resulting injuries are generally more catastrophic than other types of construction site accidents.

Who is liable In Case Of Crane Accident?

As a rule, an employer and a general contractor are usually responsible for the safety of the workers on the site. However, it’s always possible that other parties can also be held responsible, such as:

• Property owners
• Contractors
• Architects in line engineers
• Construction companies
• Equipment manufacturers that built the crane
• The owner of the crane
• Companies specializing in crane maintenance
• Other onsite contractors involved in the project

Unlike other workplace accidents, there are multiple parties involved in a crane accident instead of just one. Because the contractor responsible for the crane’s maintenance and repair is not in charge of the construction site, they too can be held liable for injuries sustained in an accident.

The Three Types Of Claims In Case Of Crane Accident

Many people that work on construction sites believe that the only thing they have is workers’ compensation insurance through their employer. But that’s not completely true. Because there are so many companies involved in a construction project, negligence by someone other than an employer is dealt not covered, or involved in a workers compensation claim.

Workers and their families have these options available to them:

1. Workers Compensation. This insurance is through an employer, covers some of your lost wages, medical expenses and possible disability. However, if you elect to take workers’ compensation, you will give up your right to file a lawsuit against your employer.
2. Personal injury lawsuit. Even when you choose to file for workers’ compensation you still have the right to file. A personal injury lawsuit against other parties. New York State labor laws allow you to file a legitimate claim for damages against a property owner, a contractor, an architect, engineer or a company that sold or manufactured are defective, crane other equipment. The suit means that you can also sue for pain and suffering and other accident-related damages.
3. Wrongful death lawsuits, filed by surviving family members, can also collect damages in the event of a fatality. These damages can include medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost wages, loss of consortium, and other accident-related losses.

Unfortunately, most insurers will try very hard to either sell your claim or give you much less than you might be entitled to. This is the case whether you are filing for workers’ compensation, or pursuing a claim elsewhere, and must deal with an insurance company to pay for your injuries.

Let Our New York City Crane Accident Lawyers Help You

It’s important that you access the benefits available following a crane accident. Other parties, such as insurance companies, want to make sure that they pay you as little as possible, even for catastrophic injuries. That’s where a personal injury attorney can fight for you, negotiate for you, and get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

BigLawsuit is ready to help you navigate the legal process and get you the compensation you need. We represent you and negotiate with the insurance companies and make sure you aren’t being cheated. Call us at (888) 998-7165 or tell us about your case using our online contact form. We will review your case at no charge and let you know about your legal options with no obligation.