Major crane collapse is latest in series of deadly construction accidents

The crane collapse that killed one person and left at least three injured in New York City Friday morning made national news. Sadly, these construction accidents are not as rare as one would hope.

The tragic collapse that took place in lower Manhattan is just one in a series of deadly crane accidents to occur in recent years.

According to the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, at least 21 people have been killed in deadly crane accidents across the country since 2006. Just days before the recent crane accident, an electrician fell from a crane in Ohio. That incident is still under investigation.

Manhattan residents likely remember the deadliest of recent crane accidents. In 2008, six scaffolding workers were killed and one was injured on the Upper East Side when a crane collapsed.

During that same month, a crane fell from a Miami condo and crashed through a house. Two construction workers, who were meeting inside the house, were killed. Five others were injured.

Police identified the victim killed in the recent New York City crane collapse as a 38-year-old Harvard-educated immigrant, born in Prague, named David Wichs. He was sitting in a parked car when the crane crashed down.

These tragedies should not be quickly dismissed, however, as someone being merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. In many cases, crane accidents and other construction accidents are preventable.

Construction workers and passersby are vulnerable to catastrophic injuries and death when property owners, construction companies and contractors violate OSHA regulations. These companies should and often can be held accountable when people lose their lives or suffer injuries because of their actions or failures.

At Weisfuse & Weisfuse, LLP, we have a long history of standing up for people who are suffering because of the negligent or reckless actions of companies and other individuals. With decades of experience and a well established reputation in Manhattan, we work with expert professional engineers to investigate and determine whether claims exist against subcontractors, manufacturers and others. If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, we invite you to contact us for a free, no-obligation legal consultation.