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Crane Accidents
Construction site crane accidents are among the most serious injury events that can happen on a Massachusetts jobsite. When a crane tips, drops a load, strikes a worker, collapses during assembly or disassembly, or comes too close to a live power line, the consequences are often catastrophic. Victims may suffer crushing injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, severe fractures, internal injuries, or fatal trauma. These are not minor incidents. They are life-changing events that can leave workers and families dealing with emergency medical care, lost income, permanent disability, and deep uncertainty about what comes next.
At Rightful Legal, attorney Tracy Paulsen represents injured people with the understanding that a serious personal injury case is never just about paperwork. Rightful Legal centers its approach on stellar advocacy, empathy, and consistent communication. The firm’s mission is to provide compassionate, comprehensive, and compelling representation while pursuing the greatest compensation possible under the law. Tracy Paulsen is the founder of Rightful Legal, a Massachusetts personal injury attorney whose practice includes workers’ compensation, wrongful death, premises liability, product liability, and other serious injury matters that can arise after construction accidents in Boston, Bristol County, and surrounding communities.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a crane accident on a construction site, it is important to understand something early. A work injury claim and a personal injury claim are not always the same thing. In Massachusetts, an injured worker may have workers’ compensation rights, but in many cases there may also be a separate claim against a negligent third party such as a subcontractor, crane owner, general contractor, maintenance company, rigging company, site owner, or equipment manufacturer. The right legal strategy depends on how the accident happened, who controlled the equipment, who ignored safety rules, and whether defective machinery or unsafe site conditions played a role. Massachusetts law also imposes important filing deadlines, so waiting too long can seriously damage a claim.
Injured in a Massachusetts Crane Accident?
Contact Attorney Tracy Paulsen Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Call / Text 617-821-5856
Or
Why Crane Accidents Happen on Construction Sites
Crane work is highly technical. It requires planning, training, communication, proper assembly, ground stability, load calculations, site coordination, and strict adherence to safety procedures. When even one part of that process breaks down, the results can be devastating.
Many crane accidents begin with failures that should have been prevented. The crane may have been set up on unstable or poorly assessed ground. The load may have exceeded rated capacity. The operator may have lacked the proper license or experience for the machinery being used. Signal communication may have failed. A subcontractor may have moved into the swing radius. The crane may have been operated too close to energized power lines. Outriggers may have been improperly deployed. Wear, poor maintenance, damaged rigging, or mechanical defects may have been ignored until it was too late.
These cases are rarely simple. On a busy Massachusetts construction site, multiple entities may be working at once, each with separate responsibilities. One company may own the crane. Another may lease it. A separate crew may assemble it. A different subcontractor may handle rigging. The general contractor may control scheduling and site coordination. The property owner may have separate obligations depending on the project. When a crane accident happens, figuring out who is legally responsible requires an immediate and detailed investigation. That is true whether the incident occurs in downtown Boston, on a jobsite in Bristol County, or anywhere else in the Commonwealth. This is why it is important to contact the construction accident lawyers at Rightful Legal to protect your rights if you have been injured.
Common Types of Construction Site Crane Accidents
Crane Collapses and Tip-Overs
A full crane collapse or tip-over is one of the most destructive jobsite events. These incidents may happen because the crane was overloaded, erected improperly, placed on inadequate ground, or operated outside safe parameters. When the machine overturns, the boom, load, and structure itself can strike workers over a large area. Injuries are often severe because the force involved is enormous.
Falling Loads and Rigging Failures
Sometimes the crane itself stays upright, but the load drops. That can happen when slings fail, rigging is chosen incorrectly, the load is not balanced, attachment points give way, or the operator moves the load unsafely. A falling load can crush workers below, strike adjacent structures, or trigger chain-reaction injuries across the site.
Electrocution and Power Line Contact
Federal crane regulations specifically address power line safety because contact with overhead electrical lines remains a major danger. A crane boom, line, or load can energize the equipment and create fatal injuries not only for the operator, but also for nearby workers and ground personnel. These cases often involve questions about clearance distances, site planning, spotters, warnings, and whether proper precautions were followed before the lift began. OSHA’s construction crane rules include provisions on ground conditions, assembly and disassembly, and power line safety during both set-up and operations.
Assembly and Disassembly Accidents
Crane accidents do not happen only during active lifting. Some of the worst incidents occur during erection, climbing, dismantling, boom or jib changes, and other assembly or disassembly work. Those phases require special procedures, experienced personnel, and strict adherence to manufacturer guidance or compliant employer procedures. A mistake at that stage can cause a catastrophic collapse before the day’s work even begins.
Struck-By and Caught-Between Events
Even without a full collapse, cranes create large danger zones. Workers can be struck by the counterweight, pinned between equipment and a structure, hit by moving materials, or injured when a suspended load swings unexpectedly. Construction sites are dynamic, noisy, and crowded. When planning is poor and communication breaks down, those hazards multiply quickly.
Serious Injuries Caused by Crane Accidents
Crane accidents often produce high-value injury claims because the physical harm is so extensive. Victims may suffer multiple surgeries, extended hospitalization, lengthy rehabilitation, and permanent work restrictions. Some never return to their previous occupation. Others cannot return to any employment at all.
In these cases, damages can extend far beyond the initial emergency treatment. The full impact may include future medical care, lost earning capacity, physical pain, emotional suffering, household limitations, and the long-term effect the injury has on a spouse and family. In the most tragic cases, surviving relatives may have a wrongful death claim.
At Rightful Legal, Tracy Paulsen’s firm focuses on helping injured people recover financially while restoring a sense of justice. That matters in crane accident cases, where the injury can change every part of a person’s life at once. For families in Bristol County and across Massachusetts, having a lawyer who understands both the legal and personal side of a catastrophic injury case can make an enormous difference.
The Laws and Regulations That Often Matter in Crane Accident Cases
Massachusetts crane accident claims often involve a combination of state law, workers’ compensation law, and federal construction safety rules.
Under OSHA’s construction regulations, cranes and derricks used in construction are governed by 29 C.F.R. Part 1926, Subpart CC. That body of regulations covers subjects including scope, definitions, ground conditions, assembly and disassembly, and power line safety. In a civil injury case, an OSHA violation does not automatically guarantee recovery, but evidence that a contractor or responsible party ignored safety rules can be powerful proof of negligence.
Massachusetts also regulates hoisting machinery. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 146, Section 53, no person may operate certain mechanical hoisting machinery, including derricks and machinery used for hoisting building material, unless the operator holds the required license or temporary permit. The owner or user of the machinery also may not allow operation by an unlicensed person. Chapter 146, Section 54A provides penalties for violations and states that any person who permits an unlicensed person to operate hoisting machinery may face fines or imprisonment. These licensing statutes can become extremely important when an accident investigation reveals that an operator lacked the credentials required for the machinery involved.
In addition, general negligence principles often apply when a third party failed to use reasonable care in maintaining the crane, coordinating the lift, securing the load, supervising the site, or protecting workers from foreseeable harm. On a major project in Bristol County or elsewhere in Massachusetts, those failures can involve multiple contractors and overlapping safety obligations.
Wrongful Death Claims After Fatal Crane Accidents
Some crane accidents are fatal from the outset. Others lead to death after emergency treatment, surgery, or a period of conscious suffering. When that happens, Massachusetts law provides a wrongful death remedy in appropriate cases.
Chapter 229, Section 2 states that a person whose negligence or willful, wanton, or reckless conduct causes a death may be liable for the fair monetary value of the decedent to the statutory beneficiaries, funeral and burial expenses, and punitive damages of not less than $5,000 in cases involving malicious, willful, wanton, or reckless conduct or gross negligence. The statute also makes clear that employer liability to a person in employment is not governed by that section, which is one reason the workers’ compensation framework and third-party analysis are so important in fatal worksite cases.
A fatal crane accident case may involve both the human loss to the family and the legal complexity of multiple overlapping claims. Identifying the proper personal representative, preserving evidence, coordinating with workers’ compensation issues, and evaluating all third-party defendants are all critical parts of the case.
For families in Bristol County and throughout the commonwealth who have lost a loved one in a construction crane accident, these cases are about more than compensation alone. They are also about accountability and making sure the full truth of what happened is uncovered.
Deadlines Matter
Massachusetts deadlines are unforgiving. Chapter 260, Section 2A provides that tort actions to recover for personal injuries generally must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues. Missing that deadline can destroy an otherwise valid case. In a crane accident matter, it is rarely wise to wait because the evidence is often highly technical and can disappear fast. Equipment may be repaired, moved, or scrapped. Electronic records may be overwritten. Witnesses may scatter across contractors and job sites.
Prompt action is especially important after a major construction incident in Bristol County or anywhere else in Massachusetts. The sooner a lawyer can begin preserving evidence and identifying responsible parties, the stronger the claim is likely to be.
How Rightful Legal Can Help If You’ve Been Hurt in a Crane Accident
Construction site crane accident cases demand more than a generic injury claim approach. They require a lawyer who understands how to investigate complex liability, how to coordinate workers’ compensation and third-party claims, and how to present the full impact of a catastrophic injury.
Rightful Legal investigates, negotiates, and, if necessary, litigates to pursue the best possible outcome for injured clients. The firm also emphasizes keeping clients informed and engaged throughout the process. In a serious crane accident case, that kind of communication matters. People dealing with traumatic injuries and financial pressure should not feel left in the dark while critical evidence and legal deadlines are being handled.
Tracy Paulsen built Rightful Legal around the idea that injured people deserve to be taken seriously and represented with real care and determination. That approach fits the reality of crane accident litigation, where the stakes are often extraordinarily high. Whether the injury happened in Boston, Bristol County, or another part of Massachusetts, the goal is the same: to identify every available source of recovery and fight for the compensation the client truly needs.
Hurt in a Crane Accident?
Contact Attorney Tracy Paulsen Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Call / Text 617-821-5856
Or
Speak With a Massachusetts Crane Accident Lawyer
A crane accident can leave you facing surgeries, missed work, insurance disputes, and questions about whether your benefits and legal claims are being handled the right way. You do not have to sort through that alone. If you were injured on a construction site, or if your family lost a loved one in a fatal crane accident, it is important to get legal advice tailored to the facts of your case.
Tracy Paulsen and Rightful Legal represent injured people across Massachusetts, including clients in Bristol County, and focus on helping them pursue meaningful financial recovery with compassion, strategy, and persistence. A careful case review can identify whether you may have a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful death case, or some combination of those paths. The sooner the case is evaluated, the better the chance of preserving the evidence that can make the difference.
Contact Rightful Legal at 617-821-5856 to discuss your construction site crane accident case and learn more about your legal options under Massachusetts law.
Crane Accident FAQ
What is considered a crane accident in Massachusetts?
A crane accident can involve a crane collapse, dropped loads, struck-by injuries, electrocution, falls, pinning or crushing incidents, or other harm caused by unsafe lifting operations. These accidents often happen on construction sites, industrial properties, and other jobsites where heavy materials are being moved overhead.
What should I do after a crane accident?
Get medical care right away and report the incident promptly. If possible, preserve photos of the scene, the crane, the load, warning areas, and any visible safety problems, and get the names of witnesses. In crane cases, evidence can disappear quickly once a site is cleaned up or equipment is moved.
Can I recover compensation after a crane accident?
Possibly, yes. If you were injured while working, you may have a Massachusetts workers’ compensation claim. You may also have a separate third-party claim if someone other than your employer contributed to the accident, such as a general contractor, subcontractor, crane company, maintenance provider, or equipment manufacturer.
Can I sue my employer after a crane accident?
Usually not. In most Massachusetts workplace injury cases, workers’ compensation is the main remedy against an employer. But that does not prevent you from pursuing a separate claim against another responsible party if the facts support it.
Who may be liable for a crane accident?
Liability depends on what went wrong. Potentially responsible parties may include a crane owner, crane operator’s employer, general contractor, subcontractor, site manager, maintenance company, rigging company, or manufacturer of defective equipment or parts. One of the key questions is who controlled the lift and who was responsible for safety planning.
What evidence matters in a crane accident case?
Important evidence may include incident reports, photos, witness statements, OSHA-related records, lift plans, inspection and maintenance logs, operator certifications, training records, and information about the crane, rigging, and load. A major issue in many crane cases is whether the lift was properly planned and supervised before the accident happened.
What compensation may be available after a serious crane injury?
That depends on the type of claim. Workers’ compensation may cover medical treatment and part of your lost wages. A third-party personal injury claim may allow recovery for broader damages, including pain and suffering, full lost income, future care, and the long-term impact of a severe injury.
Why should I speak with a lawyer after a crane accident?
Crane accident cases are often complex because they may involve multiple companies, serious injuries, and overlapping insurance issues. An early legal review can help preserve evidence, identify all potentially responsible parties, and make sure important claims are not overlooked.
