Houston Hoisting Equipment Accident Lawyer

Hoisting equipment is used in many offshore industries, such as wind farms and oil and gas operations, in Houston and the Gulf of Mexico. However, complex mechanical hoisting systems can put construction workers, engineers, and maritime crewmen at serious risk of injury when something goes wrong.

A serious injury can affect your life in many ways. You may be unable to work while you’re recovering and worried about keeping up with your household expenses. You also may be receiving medical bills for your treatment that you’re unsure how you’ll pay — and the financial stress you’re experiencing may be affecting your physical recovery.

If you’re a maritime worker who was injured while operating or working around hoisting equipment, you may have legal options for pursuing compensation through a personal injury case, with the help from the Houston offshore injury attorneys at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. Depending on the nature of your injury, you could have a case under federal maritime or Texas personal injury laws.

Through a personal injury case, you may be able to obtain compensation for your past and future:

• Medical costs
• Loss of earning capacity
• Physical pain
• Physical limitations
• Disfigurement
• Mental anguish

If you’re considering a personal injury case, the experienced maritime accident lawyers at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. can help. We’re dedicated to helping you obtain the compensation that can help with your medical recovery and allow you to move forward with your life after a serious maritime accident.

Dangers of Using Hoisting Equipment

Because of its size, complexity, and moving parts, hoisting equipment can present a number of different dangers to workers. The hazards associated with the use of hoisting equipment in construction or other maritime operations can include:

• Workers may be crushed by moving objects or falling loads when vehicles or equipment aren’t properly secured
• Hoists may tip and fall when fixation bases aren’t properly secured, or because of strong winds or imbalanced loads
• Personnel may fall from hoisting platforms or be struck when the hoisting platform moves
• Workers may experience musculoskeletal damage related to force exertions, poor ergonomic postures, and/or repetitive work hazards
• Workers may come into contact with overhead electrical cables and be electrocuted

When a hoist or load inadvertently collides with another object or stationary structure, it can swing wildly, cause severe impacts, or fall into an unsafe area. The accident may not only hurt the workers operating the equipment, but it can also hurt workers nearby on board a ship, vessel, dock, or oil or natural gas platform. Workers in these conditions can be trapped, struck, crushed, or knocked off the vessel by an inbound load or lifting equipment.

Common Causes of Hoisting Equipment Accidents

Many different factors can cause hoisting operations to go badly. Some common causes of hoisting equipment-related injuries on vessels, drilling platforms, and dockside cargo hubs may include:

• Improperly maintained and inspected hoisting equipment
• Human error that causes the hoisting equipment to malfunction or loads to fall
• Hoisting equipment that isn’t properly bolted, tied, or secured
• Poor sea conditions that are too demanding for safe hoisting of loads
• High winds that cause loads to fall or workers to fall into the path of the hoist
• Workers who aren’t properly trained in the safe use of hoisting equipment
• Workers who aren’t provided with proper safety gear
• Workers who aren’t provided with the right equipment for the load lift
• Hoisting equipment that is defective when acquired by the employer, contractor, or owner of the vessel or rig
• Poor mechanical design causing the hoist to break while in use or not be powerful enough for the rated load
• Poor workplace design
• Malfunction of the signaling system
• Hoisting equipment not used for the appropriate purpose or not used as designed
• Loads insecurely attached to the hoist

Common Hoisting Equipment Injuries

When a hoist lifting operation is performed incorrectly or there are conditions that make operations unsafe, workers may suffer a variety of injuries. Some common injuries caused by hoisting equipment can include:

• Crushed or amputated limbs
• Mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injuries
• Back or spinal cord injuries
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Torn ligaments

How Our Houston Hoisting Accident Attorneys Can Help

Our highly skilled Houston maritime accident lawyers at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. have decades of experience and a strong track record for handling Texas maritime accident cases. Our attorneys are dedicated to obtaining the maximum possible compensation for injured workers. We have recovered numerous multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of maritime workers. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work on your behalf.

We have the resources to build the strongest possible case to support your claim for compensation, including a network of medical, engineering, industry, and life-planning experts. When you come to us for help with your maritime injury case, we’ll perform a thorough investigation into the circumstances of your accident and fight to hold the responsible party accountable for causing your injury.

Contact our Houston offshore injury attorneys today to learn your legal options. We offer a free consultation and charge no fees unless you obtain compensation for your case. Call us at 281-283-8500 or use our contact form below to schedule your appointment today.