New York Boom Lift Accident Lawyer
Boom lifts can cause disaster, both physically and financially. The hydraulic force used in these machines can cause much pain and change lives forever. Unfortunately, the cause of many serious injuries is often human error: negligence or defective products.
When a worker falls from a boom lift, there is a workers’ compensation in the making. However, there is also the possibility of a lawsuit. For example, one could be filed against an employer for inaction or neglect. Or there could be cause for a product liability lawsuit that involves the boom lift manufacturer.
It is common for the parties responsible for your boom lift accident injuries to try to avoid blame. However, working with a boom accident lawyer can be the key to obtaining the compensation you require.
If you have been hurt in a boom lift accident, please speak with us at Hill & Moin LLP. Contact us online or call (212) 668-6000 to consult a boom lift accident lawyer in a free case evaluation session.
What is a Boom Lift?
A boom lift is a type of heavy equipment that is used to lift or raise people, usually workers, into the air. It falls under the category of aerial lifts. It is primarily used on construction sites, on farms, and by utility line workers.
These machines have three principal parts:
- A base that is movable, having four wheels and a module that can spin
- A hydraulic arm that connects to the base module and the platform or bucket
- The platform or bucket from which the hydraulic arm can extend into the air
The operator can use the boom lift to extend both vertically and horizontally. The hydraulic arm can also stretch at a diagonal angle. These positions can allow the worker to access hard-to-reach locations. Positions that would be unsafe to use a ladder (extension or otherwise) or scaffolding.
Boom lifts come in three versions. They are the articulating boom lift, a bucket truck, and a telescopic boom lift. The specifics of use will change depending on which type of boom lift a person is operating.
Some boom lifts can only be used indoors and on stable ground. Others can be used on rough terrain and outdoors. The number of workers necessary to operate a boom lift can fluctuate, as well as the height the boom lift can reach.
Regardless of the type of boom lift used, it is crucial that the lift has been maintained properly. It is also vital for the safety of the persons using it to be vigilant and careful.
Reasons Boom Lift Accidents Occur
Among the aerial lift heavy equipment options, boom lifts are one of the more versatile. The heights they can attain and the locations they can reach are very useful. They can access positions that otherwise are unattainable or require an impractical amount of time to construct adequate scaffolding to reach.
Nonetheless, because these machines allow humans to work at high heights, there is a measure of inherent danger. This danger can be significantly reduced when workers and operators are attentive and follow safety guidelines.
Negligence and poor training are two principal causes of boom lift accidents. It is critical that workers receive proper training in how to operate a boom lift. They must also know under what conditions the boom lift can be used – and when it should not be used.
Common Boom Lift Accidents
Boom lift operators and those working near them must focus on safety when using and working around a boom lift. This includes the boom lift operators paying close attention to their surroundings as they maneuver the boom lift.
Falling from the boom lift – A worker who is improperly harnessed could easily fall from the lift when something causes him or her to lose balance.
Electrocution – When a boom lift comes in contact with an overhead power line, electrocution can occur.
Tip-Overs – Various circumstances may lead to a bucket or platform falling to its side, including:
- Using a lift on terrain that is uneven or unstable
- Operating a boom lift in windy conditions
- Exceeding the load capacity of the lift
Getting trapped between the boom lift and another object – This can happen to persons in the bucket or platform as well as to workers on the ground near the boom lift. Persons on the ground should keep a safe distance from the boom lift. Workers within the bucket could become trapped or stuck between the edge of the bucket and a high object such as a beam or roof joist.
Being hit by objects from outside the bucket – Loose debris from locations even higher than the worker in the bucket can strike a worker. A worker could strike a high object as well if it is in the path of the boom lift.
Even small mistakes when working with a boom lift can have serious consequences. A small object falling from the platform can cause a painful head injury to a person on the ground. A small bump into a wall can crush the limb of a worker in a bucket.
If this happened to you, please come talk to the experienced construction accident team at Hill & Moin. We can evaluate your case and refer you to any one of the law firms in our trusted network if that fits your needs best.
Injuries That a Worker Can Suffer in a Boom Lift Accident
Using aerial lifts, which a boom lift is a type of, can be dangerous. The CDC keeps records of injuries related to accidents connected to aerial lifts.
Consider this: In a four-year period during the last decade, 87 workers died in aerial or scissor lift accidents across the nation. More than half of these deaths were the result of trips and slips, causing people to fall from one level to a level below. Additionally, in 2016 alone, 200 hundred workers died from falls.
Of course, not all these deaths and injuries were specifically from a boom lift. However, these statistics reveal the clear potential risks which exist for workers at high heights.
Among the most common injuries in a boom lift accident are:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Damaged internal organs
- Electrocutions
If you have been hurt in a boom lift accident, please get in contact with a boom lift attorney even if you do not see your specific condition listed above. With the assistance of a skilled lawyer, you can find out how New York law can help you receive compensation for your injuries.
How Injuries and Accidents Can Be Prevented?
Often at the root of an injury involving a boom lift is negligence, lack of training, or lack of protective equipment.
For example, the risk of falling can be minimized when a worker is provided with essential safety equipment such as a body harness or restraining belt. Keeping the access gate closed is also an important factor for safety in a lift. Further, the worker should not lean over or climb over the bucket guardrails, even to prevent accidents.
At times, it may move a job along faster to allow an untrained or inexperienced worker to operate the boom lift. However, without proper training, the operator may maneuver the boom lift onto uneven ground. This could cause the boom lift to become unstable, rock, or even tip over.
A distracted or unconcerned operator could maneuver the boom lift into objects. This could pin workers in the bucket or persons on the ground. Even worse, he could cause the boom to touch some type of electrical conductor.
If you have been hurt or injured in a lift due to the negligence of someone else, please seek help from a boom lift accident lawyer. An experienced attorney can put the facts of your accident together and strengthen your claim or lawsuit.
Contact a New York Boom Lift Accident Lawyer
After finishing a job high in the air, the descent in a boom lift can be deep. However, once it has reached the bottom, the boom lift can again ascend you high into the sky.
The situation is similar after an accident. For a time, you may feel you have descended deep into financial problems. However, with the help of a boom lift accident lawyer from the New York City law firm of Hill & Moin LLP, you can receive help. Just as a boom lift can ascend once again, so you can rise from the financial stress and complications of your accident.
We understand that you want to make it your priority to get healthy again. It is our determination for our clients to reach that goal. And as you work your way to recovery, we can make sure that your financial security is protected.
Let our attorneys support your family. We can help relieve your legal stresses, regardless of your immigration status. If you have been injured in a boom lift accident, please don’t hold back. Contact a personal injury lawyer at Hill & Moin LLP right away.
Fill out the form online or call our office phone number at (212) 668-6000 for a free case evaluation. Learn about your Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ that our experienced attorneys can offer you.
Don’t wonder about your rights!