Crane accidents can result in severe and deadly injuries on construction sites, and nearly anyone on or near the construction site can be injured. While construction workers are most commonly at risk of serious and life-threatening injuries in a construction accident, a recently reported crane accident in New York highlights that passersby and motorists can also be injured by crane collapses when they are near construction sites. If you were injured on a construction site, it is important to understand how these accidents happen and what you can do to seek financial compensation. Our New York construction accident attorneys can say more about the recent accident and what you need to know about crane accidents on construction sites.
New York Crane Accident Smashes Into Motorist’s Car
Crane accidents can cause devastating harm both on and off construction sites, as a recent accident underscores. According to a recent article in The Guardian, “a New York woman had a miraculous escape when a crane collapsed and crushed her car as she waited at an intersection.” The article explains that the crane had been attached to a boom truck when it fell and smashed the motor vehicle. The 22-year-old woman reported that the crane “caved in the whole windshield, the whole top of my car” and that she sustained a minor head injury. She was trapped inside her vehicle, and she “told first responders that if she had stopped her car three inches forward, she would have been dead.”
Initial reports indicated that the crane “broke from the ruck while lifting materials at a construction site for an 11-story apartment building,” but there was no immediate indication of why the crane snapped from the boom truck. A total of 29 construction workers were evacuated from the construction site as a result of the crane collapse. An inspection showed that there were “several safety violations” on the site, and the New York City Department of Buildings issued a partial stop-work order as a result.
Understanding Crane Accidents on Construction Sites
Serious and fatal crane injuries are preventable, but they occur with some frequency on construction sites. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were a total of 297 deadly crane accidents on construction sites between the years 2011 and 2017. The BLS reports that the majority of these injuries resulted from being struck by an object or equipment falling from the crane (59%). Approximately 14% of crane fatalities resulted from a worker falling from a crane to a lower level, while about 13% of crane accident deaths resulted from transportation incidents involving cranes.
The BLS explains that more than 40% of all deadly crane accidents happen on private construction sites, and the construction industry is the leading industry in crane injuries and fatalities. New York ranks third in the nation for the highest number of deadly crane accidents.
If a construction worker is injured or killed in a crane accident on a construction site, it is important to know that workers’ compensation benefits may be available. In addition, and perhaps even more importantly, it may be possible for the construction worker or a surviving family member to sue the employer for negligence under New York Labor Law.
Contact a New York Construction Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you love sustained injuries in a crane accident, you should get in touch with a New York construction accident attorney for assistance. Contact Leitner Varughese Warywoda PLLC today.
