A large crane tipped over in Mentor-on-the-Lake on Dec. 14. Police and the fire department responded to the accident, where they found that the crane had fallen over. The crane owners, a tree company, had been doing work for a residential client when the crane was upended and fell across a ditch. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Crane tipover accidents are not uncommon. Many people assume that these kind of accidents occur when the crane tries to lift a load beyond its weight capacity. However, that’s not always the case. Here’s what you need to know about crane tipover accidents.
Causes of crane tipover accidents
Lifting beyond a crane’s capacity can tip the equipment over. However, there are cases where cranes tip over from lifting smaller, 200-pound items. This can happen when the operators fail to fully extend the crane outriggers properly during the crane setup. Tipover accidents can happen if the counterweights are not the appropriate size. The length of the boom, or the boom angle being too low, are also likely to cause issues.
Environmental factors also play a role in tipover accidents. Operators must ensure that the ground conditions are stable and conducive to completing the job. They should also check for overhead obstructions, like large trees, power lines and other structures.
Who’s responsible for a crane tipover accident?
Fault for crane tipover accidents depends on the individual circumstances of your case. For example, if you’re a homeowner who hires a company to perform repairs, construction or maintenance on your property, responsibility for the accident could lie with the company, your general contractor or a subcontractor.
Why not sue the individual operator? Typically, when an individual employee is responsible for an accident, vicarious liability applies: the employer can be held responsible for the employee’s negligent act if it occurred in the course of their employment. Employers are usually in a better financial position to cover losses.
Alternatively, if you were injured in an on-the-job crane tipover accident, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation. Depending on whether your employer or a third party was responsible for the negligent crane operations, you may be able to file an additional personal injury suit against a subcontractor, vendor or equipment manufacturer to cover damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress and more.
If you’ve been injured in a crane tipover accident, contact the Law Offices of Tim Misny for assistance.
Discuss your case with an Ohio accident attorney today
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your accident claim. If you or a loved one were injured due to someone else’s negligence or recklessness, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (800) 556-4769 so that I can evaluate your case right away.
