Crane Construction Accident Kills Two at UTD Richardson

DALLAS PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH ATTORNEY DISCUSSES THE TRAGIC CRANE ACCIDENT THAT LEFT TWO DEAD AT THE RICHARDSON CAMPUS

The tragic deaths of two construction workers who were disassembling a crane at the University of Texas at Dallas Richardson campus is a somber reminder of just how dangerous or deadly construction accidents can be. As personal injury and wrongful death attorneys in the Dallas area, a number of our clients are employed in the construction of buildings and highways—some of them have even been injured while operating or assembling cranes.

In this particular accident, the two construction workers, who were employed by an outside firm, were disassembling a crane in winds of 35–45 mph when a section of the boom fell into the Arts and Technology Building. Fortunately, no University of Texas at Dallas students or faculty members were injured, which is always a possibility with construction accidents in areas where the public has access.

As a Dallas personal injury attorney, cases like this pique my professional interest. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the crane accident, if the construction workers had families, there may be solid grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf. To what degree these suits would be successful depends on the answers to a number of questions, including:

• Were the workers told to go up to disassemble the crane in high winds?
• What were the safety precautions taken by the construction company?
• Were safety protocols followed?
• Did the owner of the crane properly maintain it? If not, did that contribute to the accident?

Calculations of compensatory damages would be proportionate to the construction workers’ future earnings potential. In addition, Texas is one of the few states in the union that allows punitive damages in wrongful death suits, so there would be the possibility for an even larger settlement or jury award. Naturally, it may also still be determined that the accident was solely the fault of the two construction workers, in which case, a wrongful death action could prove to be futile.

If you are a construction worker who has been injured in an accident, or the family member of someone who has died in one, you may be entitled to compensation for your loss or injuries. Contact a professional, Dallas personal injury lawyer at your first opportunity.