Crane accidents cause some of the most catastrophic injuries on construction sites — collapsed loads, tip-overs, electrocution, and falls from elevation. Multiple parties are often liable. Bur Oak Injury Law fights for full compensation for injured workers across central Missouri.
(573) 499-0200 — call anytimeCrane accidents are among the deadliest events on any construction site. A single failure — a snapped wire rope, an overloaded lift, a tip-over on unstable ground, or contact with overhead power lines — can kill or permanently disable workers instantly. The injuries tend to be catastrophic: traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, crush injuries, amputations, and severe burns from electrocution.
These cases are also among the most legally complex. Multiple companies typically work together on any crane operation — the site general contractor, the crane rental company, the crane operator's employer (who may be a separate subcontractor), the rigging crew, the project engineer who designed the lift plan, and the crane manufacturer. Each may bear a share of responsibility, and identifying every liable party requires deep knowledge of OSHA crane regulations, engineering standards, and Missouri personal injury law.
The DWC advantage: Before representing injured workers in court, Chris Miller served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor and administered the Division of Workers' Compensation — the state administrative body where disputed claims are heard and decided. He understands how insurers evaluate catastrophic injury claims from the inside, and he uses that knowledge to build stronger cases for construction workers across central Missouri.
Understanding the specific cause of a crane accident is essential to identifying who is liable. Most crane accidents fall into one of several categories — and each points to a different responsible party.
Contact with energized overhead power lines is the leading cause of crane fatalities. OSHA requires a minimum 20-foot clearance. Failure to de-energize lines, establish exclusion zones, or use a qualified signal person violates federal safety standards.
Exceeding a crane's rated load capacity causes structural failures and tip-overs. Operators must consult load charts for every lift. Employers who pressure workers to exceed capacity — or who disable load moment indicators — may face direct liability.
Improper rigging — using the wrong slings, hooks, or attachment points, or failing to balance a load — causes loads to shift or fall in transit. The rigging subcontractor, the signalperson, and the operator each have distinct duties under OSHA Subpart CC.
Defective wire rope, failed brakes, faulty load indicators, or cracked booms can cause catastrophic failures even when an operator does everything right. These cases may support product liability claims against the crane manufacturer or rental company.
Cranes must be assembled and operated on stable, level surfaces. Failure to conduct soil surveys, use outrigger pads, or account for underground utilities and voids can cause cranes to sink, shift, or tip over, injuring workers in the collapse zone.
OSHA requires crane operators to be certified or qualified for the specific equipment type. Allowing an unqualified operator to run a crane — or failing to provide adequate supervision — is a direct violation that can establish negligence in a lawsuit.
29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC — OSHA's comprehensive crane and derrick standard — imposes specific, enforceable duties on every party involved in crane operations. Key requirements include pre-shift inspections, operator certification, exclusion zones, load chart compliance, assembly and disassembly procedures, and post-accident investigations.
When OSHA investigates a crane accident and issues citations, those citations are powerful evidence in a personal injury lawsuit. They establish that a specific standard was violated — and in Missouri courts, a violation of a safety statute or regulation is admissible as evidence of negligence. Even without a formal citation, OSHA standards set the baseline of care that every crane operator, rental company, and general contractor must meet.
Bur Oak Injury Law works with engineering experts and OSHA specialists to analyze every aspect of a crane accident — the equipment condition, the lift plan, the operator qualifications, the site conditions, and the communication protocols — to build the strongest possible case for injured workers.
Workers' compensation covers your direct employer — but crane accidents almost always involve multiple companies. Each can potentially be named in a third-party personal injury lawsuit, separate from and in addition to your workers' comp claim.
We review every detail of your accident — the cause, the parties involved, the injuries sustained — and identify every legal claim available to you under Missouri law. No charge, no obligation.
We send preservation letters to all responsible parties, retain engineering experts, request OSHA investigation records and crane inspection logs, and secure electronic crane monitoring data before it can be lost, overwritten, or destroyed.
We file your workers' compensation claim and build your third-party lawsuit simultaneously. These claims work together — and the combined recovery is typically far greater than either alone. You focus on healing. We handle the legal work.
Your case stays with Chris from the first call to the final outcome. No associates, no paralegals handling your claims. Every decision is made by the attorney who knows your case — and who knows how the workers' comp system works from the inside.
Bur Oak Injury Law serves injured construction workers throughout central Missouri — from Columbia and Jefferson City to Moberly, Sedalia, Fulton, Mexico, and communities across the region. Crane operations are common on commercial, industrial, and infrastructure construction projects throughout the area, and the injuries they cause can be permanently life-altering. Missouri's crane accident victims face the same fundamental legal challenges wherever the accident occurred: navigating the workers' compensation system administered by the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation, identifying third-party defendants, and preserving evidence before it disappears. Chris Miller brings the inside knowledge of a former government attorney to every crane accident case he handles.
The hours and days after a crane accident are critical for preserving your legal rights. Report the injury to your employer or supervisor the same day — failure to report within 30 days can jeopardize your workers' compensation benefits under Missouri law. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately, even if you believe your injuries are minor. If it is safe to do so, photograph the crane, the load, the rigging, and the surrounding area before anything is moved. Collect witness names and contact information. Do not speak to any insurance adjuster — whether from your employer's insurer or another party's carrier — before consulting an attorney. Contact Bur Oak Injury Law for a free confidential consultation as soon as possible.
Injured in a crane accident across central Missouri? Talk to Chris Miller today — no obligation, no charge.