Crane Accident Lawyers in Reading, PA

When a crane accident leaves someone seriously injured or kills a family member, the legal questions arrive fast, and the stakes are high. At Liever, Hyman & Potter, we handle only wrongful injury and death claims. Every one of our four attorneys has devoted an entire career to this work. That’s 115-plus combined years of undivided focus, available to crane accident victims from across Berks County.

Crane accidents rank among the most severe construction site incidents, and victims often face medical costs, lost income, and permanent disability that workers’ compensation alone doesn’t fully address. Pennsylvania law may give you additional options. A free consultation with our firm costs you nothing, and we advance all case expenses with no fees owed until we recover for you.

If you or a family member was hurt in a crane accident in Reading or the surrounding areas, call us now at (610) 885-1991 to discuss your situation at no cost.

How Crane Accidents Happen & Who Can Be Held Responsible

Crane accidents rarely have a single cause. Operator error, inadequate training, overloading beyond manufacturer specifications, improper setup or dismantling, rigging failure, equipment defects, and OSHA safety violations all appear regularly in crane accident investigations. OSHA identifies crane operation as one of the most heavily cited construction activities for safety non-compliance.

Multiple parties may share responsibility for a single accident. Potential defendants include the crane operator, the general contractor, the site owner, the crane manufacturer (when a design or manufacturing defect contributed), and equipment maintenance companies. Identifying every liable party matters because each carries separate insurance coverage, and missing one can leave significant compensation on the table. Crane accidents also injure more than crane operators. Bystanders, pedestrians, and workers in adjacent areas are all potential victims when a load drops, a boom collapses, or a crane tips.

Common Injuries in Crane Accidents

The forces involved in crane accidents produce some of the most serious injuries in any workplace setting. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paraplegia, quadriplegia, crushed limbs, amputations, and severe burns from electrocution are all documented outcomes. Many of these injuries require long-term or lifetime medical care and result in permanent disability and reduced earning capacity. When a crane accident proves fatal, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim.

The full value of a crane accident claim, including future medical costs, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering, is often far greater than what workers’ compensation benefits provide. Understanding both compensation tracks is essential.

Workers’ Compensation & Third-Party Claims in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system is no-fault: injured workers can receive medical expense coverage and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the accident. But workers’ comp has real limits. It doesn’t cover pain and suffering, full lost wages, or loss of quality of life.

When a third party contributed to the accident, such as an equipment manufacturer, a subcontractor who wasn’t your direct employer, or a property owner, Pennsylvania law allows a separate personal injury lawsuit filed alongside the workers’ comp claim. A successful third-party claim may recover damages workers’ comp doesn’t reach: full lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and future earning capacity. Wrongful death actions follow the same dual-track structure for families who lost someone. These options aren’t limited to construction sites. Crane accidents in manufacturing, shipping, and industrial settings can generate the same types of claims.

Why Crane Accident Victims Work with Liever, Hyman & Potter

Our firm doesn’t divide its attention between practice areas. We don’t handle real estate closings, business contracts, or anything outside wrongful injury and death law. That’s not a marketing line. It’s how this firm has operated since 1959. Every case that comes through our door goes to a civil trial attorney whose career has been built on exactly this type of claim.

The results reflect that focus. In a recent three-year period, our attorneys recovered more than 500 awards and settlements, including numerous million-dollar and multi-million-dollar outcomes. Published results include a $3.5 million trucking crash settlement and a $3.265 million wrongful death settlement in a drunk driving case, among many others. We’ve recovered thousands of awards for clients since our founding.

Lead attorney John R. Badal has been admitted to the Pennsylvania bar since 1978 and to the U.S. Supreme Court since 1991. He holds membership in both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, recognition tied to documented results at those thresholds. At the Berks County Bar Association, he has served as Chairman of both the Civil Litigation Section and the Workers’ Compensation Section, credentials that bear directly on the intersection of claims that crane accident cases routinely present.

A significant share of our clients arrive through referrals from other law firms, satisfied former clients, and community members who know our record. That reputation within the legal community is why we’re recognized as “The Lawyers’ Lawyers.” You pay no fees and owe no case expenses to us until we recover money for you. That applies to every client and every case.

Pennsylvania Deadlines for Crane Accident Claims

Pennsylvania sets firm deadlines that crane accident victims can’t afford to miss. To remain eligible for workers’ compensation, you must report your injury to your employer within 120 days. Reporting within 21 days allows benefits to be backdated to the date of injury. If a claim is denied or benefits are cut off, a formal Claim Petition must be filed within three years of the injury date.

For a third-party personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations is generally two years from the date of the accident. Beyond the legal deadlines, evidence at a crane accident scene can disappear quickly. OSHA inspection reports, maintenance records, site photographs, and witness accounts are all time-sensitive. Contacting an attorney as early as possible can protect your ability to pursue every available option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Someone Other than the Crane Operator File a Claim After an Accident?

Yes. Injured bystanders, ground workers, and passersby who aren’t the operator may have personal injury claims against the responsible parties, depending on the circumstances.

What if the Crane Itself Was Defective? 

A defective crane can give rise to a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor, separate from any employer-based workers’ compensation claim.

Can I Still File a Third-Party Lawsuit if I’ve Already Accepted Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

In Pennsylvania, accepting workers’ compensation generally doesn’t prevent you from pursuing a separate personal injury lawsuit against a third-party defendant who isn’t your employer.

How Soon Should I Contact an Attorney After a Crane Accident?

As early as possible. Evidence is time-sensitive, and both workers’ compensation reporting requirements and personal injury statutes of limitations start running from the date of the accident.

Talk to a Reading Crane Accident Attorney Today

If you’ve been injured in a crane accident anywhere in Berks County, we’re ready to review your situation. A free consultation means you can tell us what happened at no cost, and we can advise you on what options may be available.

There are no fees and no case expenses owed to us until we recover for you. That’s our commitment to every client. Contact Liever, Hyman & Potter at (610) 885-1991 to get started.