Unfortunately, crane accidents are one of the most common types of accidents suffered by workers in the New Jersey construction industry. A fatal accident last month took the life of yet another construction worker when he fell to his death from a crane while working on the construction of a new apartment complex off Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus.
The 34-year-old New Jersey construction worker apparently fell 45 feet to his death when the basket of the boom lift he was in tipped over and threw him out. Authorities are still investigating the accident to determine why the basket tipped in the first place. Although it may be months before we have an answer as to why this particular crane-related death happened, we already know that crane-related construction accidents are far too common in New Jersey.
Crane Injuries
Cranes are used in many different types of construction work. Unfortunately, they also account for a significant percentage of construction injuries and deaths. The reasons why crane related injuries and deaths are so common are varied and complex. As with any piece of construction equipment, poor maintenance can often lead to injuries or accidents. Cranes are often rented by the company using them. Because of this, the company renting the crane, and therefore the operator using the crane, may not know whether the crane has been properly maintained and serviced. Even construction companies that maintain their own fleet of cranes may not adequately service the equipment, which can lead to tragic results.
Operator error can also cause a crane accident. New Jersey does require crane operators to be licensed; however, just because an operator is licensed does not mean that he or she cannot be negligent when operating the equipment. Working too many hours, operating the crane while distracted by a cell phone or other distraction, or simply not having enough previous experience, can all lead to operator error.
The Secaucus tragedy took the life of one construction worker. Losing one life to a crane accident is tragedy enough, but many crane accidents also injure innocent bystanders or other construction workers who are working on the same job. Because of the sheer size of many cranes, and the loads they are often carrying or moving, the chance of injury to more than one person is magnified.
What Can I Do If I Have Been Injured in A New Jersey Crane Accident?
If you have been injured in a crane accident, you may have a number of legal options available. In the Secaucus tragedy, the family of the worker who was killed may have the option to file a workers’ compensation death claim or to file a civil wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim is much like a personal injury accident case, with a few significant differences. In a wrongful death claim, the estate of the decedent, or the person who was killed, may file a claim as well as family members of the decedent. The aim of a wrongful death award is to financially compensate the surviving family members for the loss of the decedent. In other words, it looks at what the decedent would have contributed to the family had the accident causing the death not happened.
When a crane accident causes injuries, but the injuries are not fatal, you may be entitled to compensation for those injuries pursuant to a personal injury lawsuit. Just as in many other types of personal injury lawsuits, if you were injured by a crane accident and someone’s negligence caused or contributed to those injuries, you should be compensated for those injuries.
Contact the New Jersey construction accident attorneys of Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd LLP. We have seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.