Cranes are vital pieces of heavy machinery on many construction and work sites. They are often the only machines capable of picking up incredibly heavy objects and moving them with precision. Without cranes, mass shipping of freight, construction of skyscrapers, and manufacturing heavy equipment would be virtually impossible.
A high degree of experience and skill is required to safely and effectively operate large cranes. Unfortunately, even experienced operators are still sometimes responsible for accidents which may lead to personal injury and/or property damage. Out-of-date safety codes, improper operation, and dangerous conditions can all lead to serious injury.
At The Law Office of Fredson Statmore Bitterman, our construction accident attorneys have decades of experience helping clients receive compensation through injury claims of all kinds throughout New Jersey.
Call our office today to discuss your accident, and potential options for recovering compensation, in a free and confidential consultation with a Bloomfield crane accident lawyer.
Proving Negligence for a Crane Accident
In order to file a personal injury claim as a result of your crane accident, you must not have been employed by the company which was operating the crane. If you were an employee at the time of the accident, your best recourse is to file a workers’ compensation claim through your company’s insurance policy provider.
If you were not employed by the company operating the claim, your injury case will hinge on showing that the company, the property owner, the manufacturer, or the crane operator acted with negligence. In some cases, more than one of these parties may be at fault.
For example, if a crane accident was caused by a defective part, resulting in a piece of the crane to become detached, our Bloomfield crane accident injury attorneys may recommend holding the manufacturer liable. If a crane accident was caused by a distracted, inexperienced, or improperly trained operator, then the operator and the company who employed the operator may instead be held liable. This also depends on whether the operator was an independent contractor or a direct employee of the company.
With complex situations and several potential plans of action, securing the services of our experienced attorneys may help you to prove that your injury could have been prevented under the proper circumstances. Allow our firm to hold the appropriate parties liable and recover the compensation you and your family need and deserve for your medical bills, lost wages, and physical and emotional pain and suffering.
Common Causes of Crane Accidents
According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics study published in 2008, 61% of all crane-related occupational fatalities were caused by “contact with objects or equipment”. This includes being injured by falling objects, becoming trapped in or compressed by equipment of objects, or “other struck by object”. 20% of fatalities were caused by the crane falling or tipping over. 10% involved transportation incidents, and the final 8% were due to running into an electrical current such as a power line.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has identified crane contact coming into contact with live power lines to be the primary cause of non-fatal injuries in crane accident cases. The OSHA has a standard set of guidelines for crane and heavy machinery operation which should be followed by all companies and crane operators for the safety of themselves and nearby individuals.
It is important to recognize that many of these causes of injury and fatality can and should be avoided. The OSHA estimates that up to 91% of all injurious crane-related accidents could be prevented by following their guidelines.
So how does this impact your case? If your Bloomfield attorney can find that the crane accident leading to your injury was caused by a dangerous situation or by the reckless actions of a second party, you may be entitled to compensation. By showing that the actions taken by the manufacturer, property owner, company, or crane operator were outside the guidelines set by the OSHA and/or New Jersey law, we can hold the appropriate parties liable.
Contact a Bloomfield Crane Accident Attorney Soon
When you are injured in an incident, reach out to a Bloomfield crane accident lawyer for help recovering compensation. Call our firm today to begin reviewing the details of your case.
