Crane Accident Attorney in Houston

70+ Years of Trial Experience Behind Every Crane Accident Claim

Crane accidents are among the most catastrophic events on any Houston worksite. The injuries are often severe, the liability questions are complex, and the stakes are high. At McDowell Law Group LLP, our attorneys bring over 70 years of combined personal injury and trial litigation experience to injured workers and bystanders who need focused legal representation, not high-volume case processing.

Houston’s construction boom, active port, and dense concentration of oil and gas, petrochemical, and refinery operations mean cranes are at work across the region every day. That activity also means crane-related injuries occur at a frequency that demands attorneys who understand the distinct OSHA regulatory framework, multi-party liability dynamics, and product defect claims that define these cases.

If you or a family member was hurt in a crane accident, call our Houston office at (713) 496-0504 for a free consultation. We take crane accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Why Crane Accident Victims in Houston Choose McDowell Law Group LLP

We accept a selective number of cases. That’s a deliberate choice, not a limitation. It means clients receive direct attorney attention and a legal strategy built around the specific facts of their claim rather than a template applied to hundreds of files.

Partner John T. McDowell has been admitted to the Texas Bar since 1981 and is admitted to practice in all four U.S. District Courts in Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the American Association for Justice, and was selected for the Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers list in 2007–2011, 2014–2015, and 2017–2018, as well as the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiffs list. That record matters when crane accident defendants know a case is prepared for trial.

Why Crane Accidents Happen in Houston

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Texas recorded 50 fatal occupational crane injuries between 2011 and 2017, more than the next three states combined. Overloading a crane is widely cited as a leading cause of crane accidents and failures. Workers in Houston’s construction, energy extraction, maritime, and road construction sectors face some of the highest exposure to these hazards anywhere in the country.

Common causes of crane accidents include:

• Overloading or side-loading the boom
• Dropped or swinging loads
• Crane tip-overs and collapses
• Contact with overhead powerlines
• Inadequate operator training or evaluation
• Improper assembly or disassembly
• Mechanical failure from deferred maintenance
• Defective crane components or design flaws

Federal OSHA crane and derrick standards under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC require operator training through a nationally accredited program, regular equipment inspections, and strict adherence to load capacity limits. Texas has no separate state crane operator licensing requirement, which means enforcement depends heavily on contractor compliance and federal oversight.

Who May Be Liable for a Crane Accident

One of the defining features of crane accident claims is the number of parties who can share responsibility. We investigate every viable avenue of liability and build claims against each responsible defendant.

Depending on the circumstances, liable parties may include:

• The crane operator
• The employer or general contractor overseeing the worksite
• A subcontractor responsible for crane setup or operation
• The company responsible for crane maintenance and inspection
• The crane or component manufacturer if a product defect caused or contributed to the accident
• The property owner in certain circumstances

Establishing negligence requires showing that a duty of care existed, that duty was breached, the breach directly caused the injury, and the victim suffered compensable losses. When multiple defendants share responsibility, pursuing all viable claims may give an injured person the opportunity to seek full compensation.

Injuries & Damages in Houston Crane Accident Cases

Crane accidents frequently produce life-altering injuries: traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage and paralysis, amputations, crush injuries, severe burns, electrocution injuries, and fatal injuries that give rise to wrongful death claims for surviving family members.

Economic Damages

Victims may be able to pursue economic damages including current and future medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, diminished earning capacity, and rehabilitation costs.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of consortium, and reduced quality of life. In cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, Texas law also permits punitive damages.

Factors That Affect Recovery

The actual recovery in any case depends on injury severity, length of recovery, applicable shared-fault rules under Texas comparative negligence law, and whether workers’ compensation coverage applies.

Workers’ Compensation & Third-Party Claims After a Crane Accident

Texas doesn’t require all employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Employers without coverage, known as non-subscribers, can’t use the workers’ comp system as a liability shield. An injured worker whose employer is a non-subscriber may file a civil negligence lawsuit directly against that employer to pursue full damages.

When an employer does carry workers’ compensation, accepting those benefits generally limits a direct claim against the employer. It doesn’t prevent a separate third-party claim against any other negligent party whose actions contributed to the accident, such as a crane manufacturer, subcontractor, or maintenance company. We advise crane accident victims on which combination of claims fits their specific circumstances.

Texas personal injury and wrongful death claims are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, and workers’ compensation claims carry even shorter deadlines. Exceptions exist, and the applicable deadline in any individual case depends on the specific facts. Contacting an attorney promptly can help preserve evidence and reduce the risk of missing a deadline.

Talk to a Houston Crane Accident Attorney Today

If you were injured in a crane accident in Houston or Harris County, or if you lost a family member, the decisions you make in the weeks after the accident can shape what happens to your claim. We handle crane accident cases on a contingency fee basis with no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you, and our selective approach to case intake means you work directly with experienced attorneys on a strategy tailored to your claim.

Call McDowell Law Group LLP at (713) 496-0504 to schedule your free consultation.