If you’re facing serious injuries in or Texas due to another person’s or corporation’s negligence, recklessness, dangerous actions, car or truck accident, or faulty products, it’s crucial to get legal representation from Dunham & Jones, the Trusted Texas Personal Injury Attorneys. Dunham & Jones can help you recover compensation for medical costs, income losses, pain, suffering, and other damages through a meticulously crafted personal injury or wrongful death claim in Texas. Call 888-222-9746 now for your free injury case review and discuss your case in detail.
Cranes are utilized across many industries in Texas, including construction, oil and gas, offshore and maritime, and railroads. Due to their immense size and weight, cranes are inherently dangerous. Crane accidents, injuries, and deaths are most frequent when human error is involved. At Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law, our Texas crane accident lawyers can represent you as an injured worker or family member after a major crane accident. We are committed to pursuing justice for the careless or wrongful acts of others.
How Our Crane Accident Lawyers Can Help
After a disaster, such as a crane accident in Texas, you need a team of professionals on your side to investigate the cause of the accident, determine legal responsibility, connect you to top doctors in your area, and guide you through the financial recovery process. You should not have to deal with a legal claim alone while nursing serious injuries. Our law firm has the resources to assist you with even the most complicated crane accident case. Call us today at 888-222-9746 to schedule a FREE consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer.
Why Do Crane Accidents Happen in Texas?
Many crane accidents are preventable and occur because one or more parties are negligent, failing to exercise the appropriate amount of care. Even a minor act of carelessness can be deadly when dealing with heavy machinery such as a crane. Common causes of these disasters include:
- Crane defects and malfunctions
- Careless human errors
- Poor crane assembly
- Inadequate worker training and supervision
- Improper crane maintenance
- Overloading the crane
- Crane collapses or overturns
- Boom collapses
- Mechanical failures
- Contact with overhead power lines
- Accidentally dropped load
Certain individuals at a workplace or construction site are responsible for crane safety, including the site manager, supervisor, and those working directly with the crane. If any of these parties are careless in the maintenance or operation of the crane, it can lead to disaster. Our Texas crane accident lawyers can help identify the responsible parties and hold them accountable for their negligence. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can assist you in seeking justice and compensation.
Call Dunham & Jones at 888-222-9746 to schedule a free consultation with an injury attorney and learn how we can help you with your Crane Accident case. Dunham & Jones was established in 1989 and is dedicated to helping it’s clients get the best results.
The Role of Improper Maintenance & Crane Defects in Accidents
While many severe crane accidents result from individuals not following proper safety protocols or insufficient training, there are instances where the manufacturer of the crane or those responsible for maintaining it could be liable for an incident.
Defective products are not uncommon, even with large machinery like cranes. A crane is comprised of thousands of individual parts, any of which could be defective. Defective crane parts can lead to critical malfunctions that affect the crane’s safe operation. When examining the possibility of a defective crane, it is necessary to consider the overall crane designer and manufacturer, as well as the manufacturers of specific parts believed to be responsible for the incident.
Companies or contractors responsible for the regular inspection and maintenance of cranes must follow specific protocols to ensure enhanced safety. Failure to maintain a crane properly can lead to individual parts or multiple parts becoming defective, causing a critical failure. Regular maintenance should include thorough inspections, timely repairs, and adherence to manufacturer guidelines.
In both cases, determining liability involves:
- Investigating the Accident
- Identifying Responsible Parties
- Gathering Evidence
By addressing both defective products and improper maintenance, our Texas crane accident lawyers can help ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable for their negligence, securing the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn more about how we can assist you.
Negligence in Crane Accidents
The vast majority of crane accidents are avoidable when individuals are properly trained and when cranes are adequately maintained. Often, when an injury or death related to a crane incident occurs, it is because one or more individuals or entities were negligent. The negligent party could be the operator of the crane, the company responsible for crane maintenance, or another contractor, subcontractor, or other party involved in the crane operation or the immediate area surrounding the crane.
Negligence in these situations is defined by four elements:
- Duty
- There must have been a duty of care established between the alleged negligent party and the injury victim.
- This duty varies depending on the negligent party involved but could include the duty to ensure the safe operation of the crane, the duty to inspect the crane regularly, or the duty to provide proper safety training and equipment.
- Breach
- After establishing that a duty of care was present, it must be shown that the alleged negligent party breached their duty of care to the injury victim.
- This can include failing to inspect the crane, not providing adequate training, or negligently operating the equipment.
- Causation
- It must be demonstrated that the breach of duty directly caused the injuries the plaintiff sustained.
- Damages
- It must be shown that the plaintiff sustained some sort of monetary loss as a result of the incident.
- This can include medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
Common Texas Crane Accident Injuries
Individuals could sustain a wide range of injuries caused by a crane incident in Texas. Due to the nature of crane operations, the injuries are often severe. Our team regularly helps clients who have sustained the following injuries:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Facial or Head Injuries
- Spinal Cord Trauma
- Other Neck or Back Injuries
- Amputation Injuries
- Crush Injuries
- Electrocution
- Burn Injuries
- Broken or Dislocated Bones
- Severe Lacerations or Puncture Wounds
If you have any questions about whether or not you can recover compensation for your particular situation, we encourage you to reach out to our Texas industrial accident attorneys for a free consultation as soon as possible. We are here to help you navigate the complexities of your case and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call Dunham & Jones today at 888-222-9746 to schedule a free consultation with a Texas Crane Accident lawyer. Crane Accident cases need an experienced injury law firm such as Dunham & Jones. Dunham & Jones was established in 1989 and is dedicated to helping it’s clients get the best results.
Is a Crane Accident Covered Under Workers’ Compensation?
Most job-related injuries in Texas are covered by workers’ compensation insurance. When a person sustains an on-the-job injury, they are eligible for complete coverage of medical bills and a significant portion of their lost wages, regardless of who caused the injury. This means individuals can recover compensation even if they caused their own crane injury.
However, not all employers in Texas are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Employers who do not carry this insurance are known as non-subscribers. If a crane injury occurs and the employer is a non-subscriber, the injured individual will need to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the alleged negligent party to recover compensation. In this scenario, it is not a no-fault system, and the plaintiff must prove that the other party was negligent to receive compensation for their losses.
Even if an employee is covered by workers’ compensation insurance after a crane incident, they may still need to file a civil personal injury lawsuit to recover additional compensation. This is particularly true if a third party, aside from the employer or a coworker, caused the injury. For example, if a company responsible for crane maintenance was negligent and caused the injury, the injured individual can file a personal injury lawsuit against the maintenance company, stepping outside the workers’ compensation system.
Who Is Responsible for a Texas Crane Accident?
In Texas, the person or party most at fault for causing a crane accident is held liable, or financially responsible, for the related damages. If an investigation shows that one or more parties could have reasonably prevented the crane accident with a normal level of care, those parties may be responsible for your bills and expenses. Liable parties can include:
- Owner of the Crane
- Site Supervisor or Foreman
- Crane Manufacturer
- Contractor or Subcontractor
- Property Owner
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to hold multiple parties liable for a crane accident in Texas. At Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law, we will conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident that injured you or killed a loved one to determine liability. Our construction site accident attorneys will then help you gather the necessary evidence to prove your case.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Texas Crane Accident?
Compensation for a Texas crane accident victim can vary based on whether the claim involves workers’ compensation insurance or requires a personal injury lawsuit.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance
- Medical Bills: Full coverage for all medical expenses related to the injury.
- Lost Wages: Two-thirds of the average weekly wage during the recovery period until the individual can return to work.
- Personal Injury Lawsuit
- Medical Bills: Complete coverage of all medical expenses.
- Lost Wages: Full replacement of lost income.
- Property Damage: Compensation for property damage resulting from the accident.
- Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Factors Affecting Total Compensation
- Severity of the Injury: More severe injuries typically result in higher compensation.
- Length of Recovery Time: Longer recovery periods can increase the amount of compensation.
- Shared Fault: Compensation may be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned to the victim.
- Availability of Workers’ Compensation Insurance: The type and amount of compensation can vary if workers’ compensation insurance is available.
- Pain and Suffering: The level of pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury significantly impacts non-economic damages.
At Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law, our qualified and experienced construction accident attorneys will work diligently to ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible for your injuries.
Contact Our Texas Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one was recently involved in a traumatic crane accident in Texas, call us today at 888-222-9746 Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law, to schedule your FREE case consultation today. We are committed to helping you secure the justice and compensation you deserve.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU!
SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US NOW!
Enter your information to start your free
case review with no obligation.
"*" indicates required fields