Common Causes of Crane Injuries and Fatalities

New York City is a massive city filled with skyscrapers. The constant construction to upkeep and build in the city makes cranes and crane operators a regular fixture on almost every single construction site. Although these machines and their operators make so much work possible, they can also pose a real problem when safety regulations are not properly followed.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), between 2011 and 2015, crane related accidents resulted in 220 fatalities. This does not include the number of people seriously injured in these accidents. The data further reports that there are factors which are common in most crane related fatal accidents. The common cause of crane-related deaths included:

• 112 deaths were caused by the victims being struck by equipment or an object. 69 of these deaths were caused by falling objects – 60 of those deaths were caused by objects falling from the crane.
• 30 deaths were caused when the victim fell down to a lower level.
• 30 deaths were caused by transportation incidents.

Although safety agencies keep track of crane-related deaths, injuries have not been tracked for over a decade. However, it is unlikely that the cause of these incidents has drastically changed. The most common causes of crane accident injuries include:

• Falls
• Transportation incidents
• Electrocution
• Hazardous conditions around the crane
• Falling objects
• Poor weather conditions
• Improper crane selection
• Using the crane for tasks other than what is specified by the manufacturer

Protecting the Rights of Injured Construction Workers

When construction site accidents happen, it can seriously injure or kill both construction workers as well as innocent bystanders. These victims and their loved ones may have a valid personal injury claim or wrongful death claim against the responsible parties.

At Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C., we understand the consequences that construction site accidents have on the lives of victims and the lives of their loved ones. In fact, senior partner and lead trial attorney Jeff S. Korek grew up in the construction industry and has first-hand knowledge of the inherent dangers in this kind of work. Such experience allows us to aggressively fight to protect your rights and get you the compensation that you deserve.

We Can Help You If You Are Injured

When you are injured in a construction site accident, you need to hire an experienced New York construction injury attorney to protect your legal rights. The attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek P.C. have more than 40 years of experience and knowledge to aggressively fight for your rights and get you the full extent of the monetary compensation that you deserve.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our New York construction injury attorneys, please call 1-800-529-9997.