Hurricane Sandy Highlights the Hazards Associated with Construction Cranes in New York City

Following Hurricane Sandy, many news stories focused on a construction crane that collapsed atop a 90-story luxury condominium building being constructed near Central Park. As the massive storm headed for the city, residents in several neighboring buildings were reportedly evacuated amid fears the boom of the crane might come crashing down. Meanwhile, New York City Firefighters closed several blocks of roads near the One57 building site while a piece of the crane dangled precariously over the street below.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the construction crane was inspected a few days prior to the malfunction. He stated engineers examined the crane, but made no repairs. Mayor Bloomberg also said there is currently no reason to believe the inspection was inadequate and the crane may simply have become broken due to a strong gust of wind. According to Mary Costello, a spokesperson for Australia's Lend Lease Construction, the One57 construction contractor is currently working with the New York Department of Buildings as well as structural engineers in an effort to secure both the crane and the boom.

Although construction cranes are common throughout the city, they can be dangerous to both workers and residents. Last April, a construction worker was reportedly killed when the boom of a subway crane fell on him. The nation's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued 10 serious violations to the construction contractor, Yonkers Contracting Company, Inc., as a result of the fatal accident. Also in April, a construction contractor was brought before a Manhattan judge on manslaughter charges in connection with a May 2008 crane accident that killed two workers. Additionally, a March 2008 crane accident killed seven people when a 200-foot crane snapped in two and fell on a residential building.

Luckily, no one was hurt or killed by this crane malfunction. Due to the nature of New York building sites, however, construction workers and individuals on the streets below are placed in danger of injury each day. Unfortunately, construction accidents hurt or kill thousands of people every year. Although workplace injuries in New York are normally subject to state workers' compensation laws, a third party may be held legally responsible due to inadequate safety measures. If you or a loved one was injured by a crane or another construction site hazard, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to learn more about your rights.

If you were hurt or a relative was killed in a construction accident, do not hesitate to contact the qualified lawyers at Korngut Paleudis LLC. At Korngut Paleudis LLC, our hardworking and knowledgeable New York City personal injury and accident law attorneys are available to help the victims of construction accidents receive the compensation they deserve based upon the severity of their injuries. Our skilled lawyers have more than 45 years of experience assisting clients who are located in New York and New Jersey. To speak with a diligent attorney about your injury claim, contact Korngut Paleudis LLC through the law firm's website or give us a call at (212) 835-6768 in New York City.

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Sandy leaves New York construction crane dangling in storm winds, by Greg Roumeliotis, Chicago Tribune