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Conscious Pain & Suffering - Crane Accident

Posted by: at 1:15 PM on December 16th, 2014

A  twenty-eight years old, licensed crane operator, along with his assistant, had set up a crane at an industrial site to perform a brief lifting operation. The set-up of the crane included extending the outriggers, then raising the crane up on the outrigger pads. The crane was set up on a freshly prepared gravel bed, which concealed the true nature of the soil.

Shortly after the crane was set up and the boom was extended, the crane became unstable due to a failure of the soil. The plaintiff was pinned under the crane after it fell over, and suffered multiple crushing injuries. The young man remained conscious during the hour it took rescue workers to remove him from the site.   While emergency personnel worked diligently to save the man, after being rushed to the hospital he died due to his severe internal injuries.  A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the deceased.

The multiple defendants in the case attempted to blame the plaintiff for the manner in which the crane was set up. However, extensive investigation found that the operators of the industrial site knew the soil was just fill over a wetland, which  made the soil very unstable. The site manager, though he had worked on the site for over a dozen years, claimed he was unaware of the soil conditions. 

The plaintiff's experts had  overwhelming evidence demonstrating the site manager's multiple failures to evaluate and inform the plaintiff of the dangers.  As a result of the site manager's failures and the plaintiff's death, the plaintiff's estate was awarded $1.7 million dollars

In cases involving conscious pain and suffering, it is important to have an experienced attorney on your side.  An experienced attorney can help loved ones navigate the emotional and legal tangles involved in such cases.  

Acting promptly to preserve your rights is essential after any accident.  For over 40 years, the attorneys at LDM&M have been helping individuals across SE Wisconsin receive the legal satisfaction that they deserve.  Contact our offices for a free, personal consolation.