New York Crane Accident Lawyers
Have you been injured in a crane accident in New York? Whether you have been hurt on the job or you were simply passing by a construction site when you were injured in a crane accident, you deserve to receive the full compensation available to you under the law. To ensure that you obtain maximum financial recovery, let a New York personal injury lawyer from Harris Keenan & Goldfarb help you with your case.
Since our firm was established in 1996, the attorneys of Harris Keenan & Goldfarb have tirelessly worked to protect and advocate for the rights of our clients.
Our clients are people who have been injured in accidents due to the negligence of others. When you contact our firm after a crane accident, you can expect to receive compassionate, dedicated service from us all the way through to the resolution of your claim in a settlement or hearing or at trial.
We serve clients pursuing claims in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and throughout the New York area. Don’t wait to get started on pursuing your legal rights to compensation after a crane accident. Reach out to us for a free initial case review to go over the options you may have in your case. Call us today at 800-724-6529.
Why Choose Harris Keenan & Goldfarb to Help You Recover Compensation after a Crane Accident?
After you have been injured in a crane accident, you may not know where to turn to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The legal claims process may seem incredibly confusing while going up against big corporations or insurers can feel daunting as well.
An experienced attorney can help guide you through the process of pursuing financial recovery. Your lawyer can also level the playing field for you. But choosing the right attorney can make the claims process successful and stress-free for you. Turn to Harris Keenan & Goldfarb after you have been hurt in a crane accident because:
Our attorneys have a combined eight-plus decades of legal experience
That means we can offer you multiple solutions and strategies in your case that are tailored to pursuing your goals and needs.
we have earned the respect of our clients and our peers in the legal community
Several of the attorneys of our firm have been honored with recognition from organizations or publications such as the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Super Lawyers.
We work quickly to obtain full compensation so that you can return to your normal life as soon as possible
We also prepare to pursue your legal rights all the way through formal hearings or trial, if necessary, never settling for anything less than a fair result for you.
Crane Accident Statistics
In a survey of fatal occupational accidents conducted by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, over the period of 2011 to 2017, there were a total of 297 crane-related deaths, for an average of 42 fatalities per year. Over this period, 16 fatal accidents occurred in New York. About half of the fatal crane accidents involved a victim being struck by an object or equipment, and around 60 percent of these accidents involved a worker being struck by falling objects or equipment. Falls from the crane or transportation incidents were also common causes of fatal crane accidents.
In 22 percent of fatal crane accident cases, the fatality was a worker who was operating the crane, while in 23 percent of cases, the fatality was a worker who was involved in assembling or dismantling the crane. Only 27 percent of fatal crane accidents took place on a construction site. Another 24 percent occurred in factories or plants, while six percent occurred at dockyards.
Common Causes of Crane Accidents
Some of the most frequent causes of crane accidents in New York include:
- Improper assembly
- Inadequate operator training or permitting uncertified workers to operate the crane
- Operator carelessness or error
- Exceeding the crane’s weight limitations
- Inadequate inspections or failing to conduct regular inspections of the crane’s condition
- Mechanical failures
- Contacting active power lines
- Prematurely dropping cargo loads
- Operating in high winds or other adverse weather conditions
What Are Your Options for Financial Compensation Following a Crane Accident?
If you were injured by a crane accident, you might have several options for financial compensation, depending on the circumstances at the time of the accident. First, if you were working when the crane accident occurred, you may be entitled to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits with your employer. In New York, the workers’ compensation system can provide you with certain financial benefits for a work-related injury, including:
- Payment for all reasonable and necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation of your work injuries, as well as reimbursement for certain expenses for travel to and from medical appointments or procedures
- Partial wage replacement if you miss work or earn less than you did pre-accident because of limitations caused by your injuries
- Permanent disability benefits, including a financial award for partial disability or the continuation of wage benefits if you are permanently disabled from returning to the workforce
- Vocational rehabilitation services, if you cannot return to your old job but can perform other kinds of work
If you were injured in a crane accident at work that was caused by the negligence of a third party, or if you were hurt by a crane accident as an innocent bystander, you may be entitled to pursue a personal injury claim that can secure compensation for your:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Costs of long-term health and personal care after sustaining permanent disability from your injuries
- Past, ongoing, and future loss of wages/income and employment benefits if you cannot work
- Physical pain
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Permanent disability or scarring/disfigurement that adversely impacts your quality of life
Steps to Take If You Have Been Injured in a Crane Accident
After you have been injured by a crane accident, you should remember to take the following steps to help preserve your legal options for recovering compensation for your injuries and losses:
If the accident occurred on the job, notify your employer as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the accident.
You or someone you trust should try to take photos or video of the accident scene as soon as possible, including documenting the condition of the crane or any other relevant details.
Seek immediate medical attention after the accident to have a doctor examine you for any injuries you may have sustained.
Follow your doctor’s treatment instructions and recommendations. If you defer treatment for injuries suffered in a crane accident that happened at work, your employer might order you to return to work despite any pain or physical distress you may be experiencing.
Keep copies of any bills or invoices for expenses related to your injuries. Also, make sure to have your pay stubs, W-2s or 1099s, or tax returns on hand if you miss work.
Finally, make time to speak with Harris Keenan & Goldfarb to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable attorney from our legal team.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for Compensation after a Crane Accident?
If you decide to pursue compensation after being injured by a crane accident, the statute of limitations under New York law places a deadline on when you must file a lawsuit in your case. If you are pursuing a workers’ compensation claim, state law requires you to notify your employer of the accident and your injuries within 30 days. If your employer denies your workers’ comp claim or denies you the full benefits you believe you are entitled to, you must file your workers’ comp claim with the state within two years of the date of the accident.
However, if you have a personal injury claim arising from the crane accident, you must file suit against the liable party or parties within three years of the accident.
Failing to timely file your claims may result in their permanent dismissal and the loss of your rights to recover the compensation you are entitled to under the law.
How Can a Lawyer Help You with a Crane Accident Claim?
When you have been hurt by a crane accident, you shouldn’t have to pursue your claims for compensation on your own. Let a lawyer from Harris Keenan & Goldfarb take the stress of pursuing your case off your shoulders, so that you can stay focused on your treatment and physical and emotional recovery. Our firm will handle the details of your case and fight to get you the financial recovery you deserve by:
- Investigating the details of the accident and securing evidence needed to build your legal claims
- Evaluating your options for pursuing compensation, including whether you can file a workers’ compensation claim and/or a personal injury claim
- Identifying potentially liable parties and available sources of compensation, such as insurance coverages
- Retaining accident reconstruction, engineering, medical, vocational, and financial experts where expert opinion testimony will make your case more effective and persuasive
- Timely filing your legal claims and aggressively pursuing a resolution or settlement that gets you the money you deserve as quickly as possible
- Taking your claims to formal hearings or to court and trial if necessary
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most frequent questions we get about crane accident claims include:
If you have a claim to compensation following a crane accident, the attorneys of Burns & Harris can handle your case on a contingency-fee basis. This means you will not need to pay any legal fees upfront to hire our firm. We earn our legal fees only once we have secured compensation for you by obtaining a settlement or by winning your case in a hearing or at trial. You should not need to worry about the cost of hiring a lawyer while you are already dealing with the financial pressures of medical bills or lost wages/income.
You can give yourself the best chance of maximizing your compensation in a settlement in your crane accident case by working with an attorney from Burns & Harris. If you are offered a settlement from an at-fault contractor or by an insurance company, our firm can review the settlement along with the details of your case. We’ll advise you whether the settlement will provide you with fair compensation for your injuries and losses. If not, our attorneys can go to work negotiating for a better offer that gives you the financial recovery you deserve.
Unfortunately, we cannot predict at the outset of your case whether it will become necessary for you to go to trial. Multiple factors can make a workers’ comp hearing or trial more likely in your case, including the severity of your injuries, the amount of losses you have incurred, and whether the parties you are seeking compensation from are contesting their liability or the extent of your injuries and losses. You can trust us to work hard to pursue full compensation for you as quickly as possible. Not only that, we’ll provide you with honest advice when we believe that going to court or trial will give you the best chance of obtaining the compensation and justice you deserve.
Contact Us for Experienced Legal Help after a New York Crane Accident
When you have been injured in a crane accident, you may have legal options for obtaining financial resources to help you in your recovery. Call Harris Keenan & Goldfarb at 800-724-6529 today for a free, no-obligation consultation. You can speak with a New York personal injury lawyer from our firm about how we can assist you with securing compensation for your injuries and losses.
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