Home » Law and Legal Articles » National Cathedral Crane Collapse Spotlights Construction Site Danger, Says New York Construction Accident Lawyer
National Cathedral Crane Collapse Spotlights Construction Site Danger, Says New York Construction Accident Lawyer
A crane performing repair work at the National Cathedral fell over before services honoring the 10th anniversary of September 11th.
NEW YORK, NY, September 22, 2011 /Law and Legal PR News/ -- Last week, the events of 9-11 reminded the world of the tragic terror attacks on the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon.
An event less covered by the news, a crane accident in the nation's capital, reminded construction workers and New York construction accident lawyers how dangerous construction work can be.
A crane that was repairing damage at Washington National Cathedral fell over.
President Obama had been scheduled to speak at the Cathedral on the evening of September 11 to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
"Crane accidents occur more often than national news reports indicate. A construction accident may be local news unless it occurs at a well-known landmark such as the Cathedral or in a highly populated area such as New York City," construction accident lawyer David Perecman, founder of The Perecman Firm, one of New York's construction accident law firms said.
The crane, with a lifting capacity of 500 tons, had been brought in to help with repairs to the more than 100-year-old structure after it was damaged in the 5.8-magnitude earthquake on August 23.
As reported by The Washington Post, the crane operator was lowering the boom when the crane tipped over. Weather reports indicated wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph in the area at the time of the construction accident.
The crane's operator, who was inside the crane's cab when it fell, was the only person hurt in the construction accident, said the Post. He was taken to an area hospital and released later the same day, said a cathedral spokesman.
The cathedral escaped further damage when the crane fell. However, the gift shop and several cars were damaged. Two major events scheduled at the Washington National Cathedral for the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of September 11 had to be moved.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will investigate.
"It is extremely fortunate that no one was killed or seriously injured in the crane accident. A crane can be a very dangerous piece of equipment," said Perecman, the former head New York construction accident lawyer for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and a lecturer on construction accident law.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the company that operates the crane was cited by OSHA in 2006 for not providing protective equipment to workers, and again in 2007 for having a worker within the swing radius of a crane.
As reported by the Washington Times, two workers were injured at the cathedral as they were dismantling the crane on the day following the crane accident.
As construction accident lawyers in New York understand, serious and severe construction accident injuries in New York and elsewhere may occur if cranes are not inspected before use and if they are not used properly. According to OSHA, oftentimes crane accident injuries occur when a worker is struck by an overhead load or caught within the crane's swing radius. Crane accident fatalities may occur when the boom of a crane or its load line contact an overhead power line.
Construction has been one of the most dangerous industries to work in as measured by number of deaths. Construction workers are always at risk of suffering serious injuries or other construction related accidents.
Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S., according to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2009, 816 construction workers suffered fatal on-the-job injuries, more than in any other single industry sector and nearly one out of every five U.S. work-related deaths that year.
In a 2009 updated crane report, the CDC reported the average number of worker deaths involving construction cranes was 42 a year.
Construction workers who have been injured in a construction accident in New York should contact a New York construction accident lawyer to make sure they are getting maximum compensation for construction accident pain, lost wages, and suffering.
"If the causes of a construction accident are avoidable, meaning that someone's negligence was the cause of the construction accident, a victim of the construction accident, or his or her family, can obtain financial compensation for the construction accident injuries or construction site death," said New York construction accident lawyer Perecman, a construction accident lawyer in New York for over 30 years.
Perecman and his team of New York construction accident lawyers at The Perecman Firm have won hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for victims of construction accidents in New York who were injured or killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company, or entity.
About David Perecman and The Perecman Firm, PLLC:
For the past 30 years, the New York civil rights violation, medical malpractice, auto accident, and construction accident lawyers at The Perecman Firm, PLLC have handled all types of cases including age and disability discrimination. David Perecman, founder of the Firm, is a Board Director and the past Secretary and Treasurer of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) and a chair of its Labor Law Committee. Mr. Perecman's achievements have brought him recognition as an Honoree in the National Law Journal's Hall of Fame, in New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in America" and The New York Times Magazine "New York Super Lawyers, Metro Edition" for the years 2007-2010.
Website: http://www.perecman.com
The Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Among the more recent victories, Mr. Perecman won a $15 million verdict** for a construction accident, a $5.35 million dollar verdict*** for an automobile accident, and a $40 million dollar structured settlement for medical malpractice****.
**later settled while on appeal for $7.940 million
*** later settled for $3.5 million
**** total potential payout
"Lawyer Advertising"
"Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome."
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The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.
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