Crane Injury Compensation Claims.

A crane accident refers to an accident which is either caused by a crane, or involves a crane in some manner. If you are required to work with cranes it is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that there are safety measures in place in order to prevent a crane accident occurring and causing a serious injury.

Some of the main causes of crane accidents include:

• the use of an unsafe crane which is not fit for purpose
• being asked to perform an unsafe task with the crane such as lifting a weight above the maximum that the crane can handle
• the crane being operated by an untrained employee

Your employer’s duty of care means that they have a responsibility to make sure all employees are not put in harm’s way, and this is usually done by ensuring regular risk assessments are carried out in line with workplace health and safety laws, and that reasonable steps are taken to ensure a safe working environment for all.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a crane accident which has resulted in serious or fatal injuries, you may be able to claim compensation. Whether you are claiming for yourself or on somebody else’s behalf, you must begin the claims process within three years of the incident occurring. If you are unsure as to whether or not you have valid grounds for a claim, please get in touch and our team of personal injury solicitors will be happy to advise you.

The height and weight of a crane lends itself to a variety of different ways that an accident could occur, particularly when the crane is not in good working order or is being operated by somebody without adequate training. The most common types of accidents involving cranes include:

• Collisions with overhead electricity cables
• Collisions with buildings
• Collisions with other objects at height
• Collisions involving two or more cranes
• The crane toppling over or collapsing
• The load falls from the crane onto the ground
• The crane’s hook swings out and strikes people
• The crane isn’t balanced correctly and topples over
• The crane is lifting a load above the maximum weight
• An error occurs when loading or unloading the crane
• A strong gust of wind causes the crane’s load to become loose/unstable

This list is not exhaustive, and if you have been involved in any kind of crane accident which occurred through no fault of your own, you may be able to claim compensation. If the accident occurred at work, leading to you sustaining a serious injury, your employer is liable and you are within your rights to pursue legal action.

Working with, or in the vicinity of, heavy machinery like cranes carries the risk of accidents and injuries occurring when the correct health and safety protocols are not adhered to. One of the biggest risks with crane use is when large, heavy loads are being moved from ground level to higher levels. A heavy load falling from height can have devastating consequences if it falls onto people below, causing serious and even fatal injuries.

Some of the injuries that can occur as a result of a crane accident include:

• Head injuries varying in severity from cuts, bruises, and concussion, to permanent brain damage
• Spinal injuries that may result in total or partial paralysis
• Broken bones and fractures that may cause long term pain or disability
• Permanent  damage to or complete loss of limbs or digits
• Back and shoulder injuries such as sprains, slipped discs, or dislocation
• Neck injuries such as whiplash, stiffness, and muscle spasms
• Eye injuries resulting in pain, discomfort, and even partial or total loss of sight
• Nerve damage that can result in long term mobility problems and chronic pain
• Psychological injuries including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety

It’s impossible to list every single type of injury that could potentially occur due to a crane accident, but if you have been injured in any way in an accident involving a crane, which was not your fault, please get in touch with our Personal Injury Team today. We have a great deal of experience in handling personal injury claims of this nature, and we can offer you guidance and advice without the jargon. We’ll make it easy for you to understand what the legal process entails, and we’ll be with you every step of the way to ensure your case is successful.

Being involved in a serious accident, such as those involving cranes, can have a grave impact on your mental health. Whether you were the driver of the crane and you caused injury to others, or you were injured by a crane or its falling load, the mental impact can affect you for months or even years afterwards.

After the incident, many people experience vivid flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and intense distress when presented with something that triggers memories of the incident. PTSD can also cause physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, nausea, and pain, and many sufferers find their symptoms so debilitating that they may withdraw from social activities or become unable to work due to the fear of encountering a trigger.

If the crane accident occurred due to employer negligence, equipment failure, or the negligence of another employee, you could be entitled to make a claim for the psychological damage you have endured. If you are unsure as to whether or not you have a valid claim, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss the matter with you and offer impartial guidance and advice.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was introduced in order to prevent accidents occurring in the workplace by ensuring that employers were legally required to put measures in place to ensure that risks to their employees were kept to a minimum. This typically involves carrying out regular risk assessments, ensuring machinery and equipment is regularly serviced and maintained, and that employees receive adequate training and are provided with appropriate personal protective equipment.

The Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, were both put into place with specific legislation on the use of construction cranes. In theory, if your employer is compliant with the relevant legislation, there should be a very minimal risk of crane accidents occurring in the workplace.

Over the past 20 years or so, the use of construction cranes has dramatically increased due to the ever-increasing need for taller buildings to maximise the space available. As a result, construction crane accidents have increased. In response to this, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) introduced The Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes Regulations 2010, which attempts to improve crane safety by making the inspection and monitoring of cranes an easier process.

If you work with cranes, your employer should have paperwork pertaining to the above legislation and how they put it into practice within their company. Any breach in this legislation that then leads to a crane accident occurring and injuries being sustained means that the employer is liable and can be sued for compensation.