St. Petersburg, FL — Mayor Warns of Possible Crane Hazard Due to Hurricane Milton

St. Petersburg, FL (October 9th, 2024) – The mayor of St. Petersburg issued a public warning recently about the danger of tower crane-involved accidents during Hurricane Milton.

The high winds expected with the storm threaten to cause the cranes to malfunction, which could lead to crane collapses that result in serious injuries or death for nearby residents. To avoid these dangerous property conditions, the mayor has advised relocating, if possible. Those unable to relocate should move to the safest inner rooms of their residences.

Crane Accidents and Florida Premises Liability

Tower cranes are essential tools in modern construction projects. When they fail and collapses occur, however, the consequences can be catastrophic, resulting in injuries, deaths, and significant property damage. Holding property owners and occupiers responsible for the injuries that occur on their properties, premises liability law plays a crucial role in determining financial liability for such accidents. 

Elements of a Premises Liability Claim

To successfully pursue a premises liability lawsuit, tower crane collapse victims must prove duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages. 

Property Owners’ Duty of Care

Under most circumstances, property owners, such as those who own the buildings in the areas for which the St. Pete mayor issued warnings, owe a duty of care to visitors to their properties. As such, they must take reasonable precautions to keep those authorized to be on their premises safe. If you suffered injuries in your apartment due to a tower crane collapse, for example, you may submit your lease agreement as evidence that you were permitted to be on the property, and thus, were owed a duty of care.

Breaching the Duty of Care

Breach of duty occurs when a property owner or operator fails to exercise reasonable care, and in doing so, breaches their duty to keep visitors and patrons safe. In the case of a tower crane accident, such a breach may occur if those responsible fail to take any precautions to remove the hazard or to adequately warn visitors to their properties of the risk.

As Hurricane Milton nears landfall, the warning issued by the mayor aims to keep residents safe, and may protect the city from liability. Because of what’s involved, lowering and securing tower cranes must get scheduled well in advance. The rapid intensification of the storm did not allow the time needed for either to be feasible options. To best protect residents from the hazard, warnings were issued.

Causation for an Accident and Injuries

It is not enough for a duty to be owed and a breach to have occurred. To successfully recover compensation, you will need to establish that the property owner’s negligence, or the breach of duty, is directly linked to your injuries. Evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, photographs, videos, and medical records and doctor’s testimony, may aid in proving causation.

Actual Damages

To recover compensation in a premises liability claim involving a tower crane accident, you will need to prove that you suffered actual losses. Testimony from yourself or loved ones, medical records, employment earnings statements, and other such evidence may help establish the economic and non-economic costs of the accident, and your resultant injuries.

Unique Challenges of Tower Crane Accidents

Tower cranes present unique challenges in premises liability cases due to several factors. Complex pieces of machinery, tower cranes require specialized knowledge and maintenance. By the same token, failures involving these pieces of equipment can result from several causes, including mechanical failure, operator error, and adverse weather conditions. 

Construction projects often involve multiple parties, making third-party involvement an additional concern in crane accident cases. Depending on the circumstances, property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and equipment suppliers may bear financial responsibility.

What Factors Affect Crane Accident Premises Liability Claims

Several factors can affect the outcome of a premises liability case involving a tower crane collapse. A Chicago personal injury lawyer may review your case and these factors with you, to determine what circumstances contributed to your injury, and who to hold liable.

Some of the common factors impacting premises liability cases involving tower crane collapses include:

Crane Maintenance and Inspection

Proper maintenance and regular inspections are essential to ensure the safe operation of tower cranes. Failure to comply with maintenance schedules can be evidence of negligence.

Site Safety Protocols

The property owner or occupier should implement and enforce safety protocols to protect workers and the public from hazards associated with tower cranes.

Weather Conditions

Severe weather, such as the winds and rain expected with Hurricane Milton, pose risks to tower cranes. As much as possible, property owners should be aware of weather forecasts and take appropriate precautions to protect their equipment and workers.

Third-Party Contractors

Sometimes, it is not property owners in control of tower cranes, but rather third-party contractors. Contractors have the same legal obligations to safely maintain and operate tower cranes. Therefore, they too may be held liable for damages resulting from crane collapse accidents.

How to Prevent Tower Crane Collapses

While not all tower crane accidents can be prevented, there are steps that can be taken to help ensure the safety of workers and the public. 

Conduct Regular Inspections and Maintenance

Conducting regular inspections and performing maintenance on tower cranes can help prevent some accidents. To this end, operators should conduct regular inspections of all components of the tower, including the boom, mast, cables, and counterweights. They should also adhere to a strict maintenance schedule, and promptly address any issues that are discovered.

Provide and Require Proper Operator Training

Part of the safe set up and use of tower cranes is ensuring those involved have the appropriate knowledge to do so safely. Therefore, it’s important to require operators to have proper certification and training, and for supervisors to ensure that operators follow safe use procedures. Operators should also receive ongoing training to stay up-to-date on the industry standards and best practices.

Implement Safe Work Procedures

Safe work procedures are vital in helping prevent tower crane accidents. These should include conducting thorough risk assessments prior to starting any work involving tower cranes, and maintaining clear communication between the operators, ground crew, and other personnel involved in the project.

Operators should also develop and implement emergency plans in case of accidents or equipment failures. 

Monitor the Weather

Adverse weather conditions cannot be helped, but monitoring the forecast can help operators be prepared for hazardous conditions, and to suspend operations if it becomes too dangerous. It is recommended to avoid using tower cranes in high wind conditions, and operators should take care to protect the crane and worker from lightning strikes.

Recovering Compensation for Crane Collapse Injuries

If you’ve been injured in a crane collapse accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Premises liability settlement and verdict damages seek to make you whole for your injury-associated losses. You may recover compensation for your current and future medical bills, including the costs of doctor office visits, emergency care, surgeries, physical rehabilitation, and medications, lost wages, lost future earnings, and pain and suffering. 

After a crane collapse accident, you may be left struggling – physically, emotionally, and financially. Having more than 30 years of experience, our board-certified injury lawyer, Jim Magazine, has helped recover millions of dollars on behalf of people like you. To discuss your options, call Magazine & Light Law Group today, 727-499-9900. We offer free consultations.

Jim Magazine

James (Jim) Magazine is a Florida Board Certified Civil Trial lawyer who has spent his career helping injured victims. Jim is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida since 1990 and is also admitted to practice at the Appellate level and admitted to the United States Supreme Court.

Years of Experience: More than 30 years
Florida Registration Status: Active
Bar Admissions:
Clearwater Bar Association
West Pasco Bar Association