Long Island Crane Accident

Crane accidents are often catastrophic, leaving victims with serious injuries and often resulting in fatalities. Cranes are dangerous because they are tall and heavy. The job of a crane is to lift and carry heavy loads. If an operator is not properly trained of if safety precautions are not followed, a load can fall or a crane can tip over. When an accident occurs, the operator may be injured as well as other works and bystanders. Injuries are often serious, and in some cases the victim is left permanently disabled. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and back injuries. Such injuries lead to victims missing work and suffering financial problems. As experienced Long Island crane injury lawyers, we understand the hardships that crane accident victims face and are here to help. If you or a loved one was injured in a construction accident that involved a crane, contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates right away as you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses.

Even though there are both New York State and federal laws as well as industry regulations that make it mandatory for construction companies to implement safety standards, each year people are hurt in crane accidents, scaffold accidents and in other types of construction site accidents. OSHA created strict rules that construction companies must follow in order to minimize the possibility of accidents and serious injuries.

One of the most common types of crane accidents involve power lines. In fact nearly 40% of all crane accidents occur when a crane hits power lines, electrocuting victims. Other causes of crane accidents include:

• Cranes overturning
• Boom collapse
• Rigging failures
• Loads dropping
• Operator error

John Smith was operating a crane to lift steel means to the 5th floor of an office building being built on Long Island. As Smith attempted to lift the steel beams and move them to the building, the crane arm buckled. The entire load of steel beams fell to the ground. While the load itself did not hit any workers, the crashing load caused debris to fly through the air, hitting Dan Jones in face, causing him a serious eye injury. Dan suffered a permanent blindness in his right eye. Dan contacted a crane injury attorney in Long Island to find out his legal options for pursuing compensation for his medical bills and other expenses related to the accident.

Crane accident victims typically suffer severe injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, back and spinal cord injuries and internal bleeding. Treatment for serious injuries can be expensive and prolonged. In some cases the injury is so serious that victim is not able to return to work.

If you were injured in a construction site accident, you may be entitled to compensation either through workers' compensation or through a personal injury claim. The manner in which you will receive compensation is determined by who was responsible for the accident. According to New York workers' compensation law the vast majority of employers must carry workers' compensation insurance. If there is an accident in the workplace, regardless of whether the employer, co-worker or victim is at fault, the victim would be entitled to benefits from workers' compensation insurance. Benefits include medical benefits and wage replacement.

There are circumstances under which a crane accident victim would be entitled to file a personal injury claim and demand medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. For example, if the victim was not a worker, but a bystander, he (or she) would have the right to sue the contractor, property owner, crane manufacturer or anyone else whose negligence led to the accident.

If you or a loved one was injured in a crane accident, it is important that you are represented by someone with experienced. The crane injury attorneys serving Long Island at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have experience successfully representing clients injured in construction accidents, as well as vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents and other types of accidents caused by negligence. In addition, we have the resources to handle complex construction accident cases. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.