Construction accidents happen every year. One of the pieces of equipment that are frequently found on a job site is a crane. These enormous machines are typically used to lift very heavy materials from one place to another. In some situations, a crane can break or an operator can make an error and the result can be a very serious construction accident.

When construction is taking place at a popular area, the danger that an innocent bystander could be hurt increases. On the New Jersey Turnpike last week, a man driving north past the construction was injured when a crane swung a steel beam into traffic.

The beam was dangling from a crane near the Turnpike when it somehow swung into traffic. A 63-year-old man was driving in his van when the beam struck his vehicle. Part of the roof was taken off and the van flipped over because of the impact. The man also suffered cuts and injuries to his face.

It is not known what caused the beam to pivot and swing into traffic. Wind may have been a factor, but if weather conditions provided a dangerous environment, should the construction have been delayed? Was there a way that the crane operator could have corrected the swinging of the beam? Could the crane have been broken or malfunctioning?

An investigation is still pending, so no enforcement action has happened. While the victim's injuries are not life-threatening, he still likely has medical bills and property damage that happened because of the construction work. It can be difficult to pin down liability and culpability when it comes to construction accidents. The victim may want to work with an attorney to collect compensation for damages.

Source: NJ.com, "Beam from crane shears top off of van on N.J. Turnpike," Alex Zdan, Jan. 19, 2012