Another Crane Collapse in New York City

Today there was yet another crane collapse in New York City. This crane collapse occurred in the Tribeca area of Manhattan and killed at least one person and injured several others. Over the past 10 years there have been several deadly crane collapses in New York City.  Investigations into to these crane collapses have revealed that some of the cranes collapsed due to negligence and even criminal negligence.

I have read many reports on crane collapses. In some cases the crane inspectors were negligent and chose not to report problems and issues that they noted. In other cases, there was little meaningful oversight of crane equipment and broken crane parts were not properly repaired.

I was involved in litigation surrounding the April 3, 2012, crane collapse. This crane collapse occurred during the extension of the No. 7 subway line.  At that time, I worked as an associate for Jeffrey Manheimer, Esq.  We represented the family of a young man who was crushed to death when a 170 foot crane collapsed onto the job site. Jeff and I successfully recovered a significant sum for his family. However, no amount of money would ever replace the hole that his death left in his family’s heart.

When people fail to do their job, when crane owners and construction company owners fail to take the proper precautions to keep their equipment and workers safe, and when inspectors turn a blind eye to violations – people die. It ruins lives and families. Sadly, these types of tragedies happen on an almost daily basis in the construction industry because construction is a very dangerous occupation.

If you or a loved one is injured as a result of a construction accident or a work-place accident, you need aggressive attorneys to fight for you. The attorneys at Vaughn, Weber & Prakope work hard to bring justice to the injured and hold those responsible accountable. Please call our office for a free consultation (516-858-2620).