How Much Compensation For A Crane Accident

This guide examines how much compensation for a crane accident you could receive following an accident at work. We’ll cover key aspects of the claims process including, the eligibility criteria to claim, what evidence can be used to support your case and how accidents involving cranes can occur.

You also find information on how accident at work compensation is calculated, with a compensation table containing guideline award figures. In our final section, we examine the No Win No Fee contract offered by our panel of personal injury solicitors.

You can get a free eligibility assessment and ask any questions you may have by reaching out to our advisory team. Advisors are available 24 hours a day via the contact information given here:

Call the team on 0800 408 7826.
You can also contact us online by completing our callback form.
Or, for a fast response, open the live chat on your screen now.

A large crane at a construction site

Select A Section

How Much Compensation You Can Get For A Crane Accident
Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Crane Accident?
Common Causes Of Crane Accidents
Types Of Injuries That Can Result From Crane Accidents
Can I Get Sacked For Claiming Against My Employer?
How To Make A Crane Accident Claim
How Our Panel Of Solicitors Can Help You Claim
More Information

How Much Compensation You Can Get For A Crane Accident

How much compensation for a crane accident you are entitled to depends greatly on the severity of your injuries as well as what other costs have been incurred. Compensation is calculated under two different heads of claim, these are:

General damages, which compensates for the physical and psychological harm caused.
Special damages, under which financial losses resulting from your injuries can be reimbursed. More on this head of claim later.

Those tasked with calculating a potential general damages figure can refer to your medical evidence alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This publication contains guideline award figures for various injuries, and has informed our compensation calculator which you can see here.

Use Our Accident At Work Compensation Calculator

As well as our compensation calculator, we have also provided this table with some guideline compensation figures from the JCG. It lays out some of the figures you may see when using the compensation calculator. Please note the top entry was not taken from the JCG and that this information is intended as guidance only.

Type of Injury	Severity	Guideline Award Figure	Notes
Multiple Very Severe Injuries With Special Damages	Very Severe	Up to £1,000,000 +	Multiple very severe injuries as well significant financial losses including lost income, medical bills and care costs.
Brain Damage	Very Severe	£344,150 to £493,000	Little to no environmental response or language function, double incontinence and need for full time professional care.
	Moderately Severe	£267,340 to £344,150	Very serious disability that can be cognitive or physical requiring around the clock care.
Paralysis	Quadriplegia	£396,140 to £493,000	Paralysis of the upper and lower body. A case where the injured person has no physical pain, full awareness, retained their senses and a life expectancy of at least 25 years would be awarded towards the middle of the bracket.
	Paraplegia	£267,340 to £346,890	Paralysis of the lower body. Awards for paraplegia are dependent on the pain level, degree of independence, life expectancy and psychological effects.
Leg Injuries	Amputations (a)(iii)	£127,930 to £167,760	Above knee amputation of one leg.
	Severe (b)(ii)	£66,920 to £109,290	Permanent mobility issues with requirements for mobility aids for the remainder of life, such as where multiple fractures have taken years to heel.
Chest Injuries	Lung Removal and/or Serious Heart Damage (a)	£122,850 to £183,190	The complete removal of one lung and/or serious heart damage causing prolonged pain and suffering and significant permanent scarring.
	Traumatic Injury (b)	£80,240 to £122,850	Traumatic Injury to the chest, heart or lungs causing functional impairment, physical disability and reduced life expectancy.
Hand Injuries	Less Serious (g)	£17,640 to £35,390	A severe crush injury causing significant functional impairment.

Special Damages In Workplace Accident Claims

Special damages is the second of the two heads of claim that compensation can be awarded under for an accident at work. We have provided a few examples here:

Loss of earnings due to time taken off work to recover from your injuries.
Loss of future earnings in cases where you cannot return to work or must undertake reduced hours.
Medical expenses including private healthcare, therapy or counselling sessions and prescription medication.
Care including help with dependents, preparing meals, cleaning yourself or your home, and tending to any outside space if you cannot carry out these duties safely on your own.
Transport expenses if you can no longer drive.

Make sure you retain copies of your payslips as well as any other documents that prove the financial losses you sustained.

This section is intended to provide guidance on how personal injury compensation is calculated. To get a more personalised idea of what your potential claim could be worth, speak to our advisors today using the contact information given below.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Crane Accident?

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 sets out the general duty of care for employers. A duty of care means a liable party is legally obligated to ensure your reasonable safety. This law requires employers to take reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the safety of their employees.

However, several more detailed laws impose specific duties of care in the construction field that are relevant when claiming for a crane accident. These are:

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require that those in charge of construction sites ensure a safe working environment.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 impose safety requirements for all work carried out above ground level.
Under The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, any tools, protective gear and other equipment must be suitable, safe for use and inspected regularly.

The eligibility criteria to claim compensation following an injury at work can be summarised as follows:

You were owed a duty of care by your employer.
This duty was breached in some way.
That breach resulted in an accident in which you suffered injuries.

For a free eligibility assessment, or to ask how much compensation for a crane accident you could receive, talk to our team today using the contact information given below.

Common Causes Of Crane Accidents

Cranes can vary greatly in size and load capacity depending on what purposes they are intended to carry out. However, all cranes are heavy machinery used to carry large loads to varying heights. What this means is there are great risks of serious injury if the cranes are used improperly.

We have set out a few examples of how crane accidents could occur here:

A crane crew had not received adequate training on the maximum weight restrictions for the crane. The driver attempted to lift a load that was too heavy, and the coupling snapped. The load fell to the ground and crushed your leg as you tried to dive out of the way.
Failure to carry out maintenance checks resulted in a faulty stabiliser on a crane lorry being missed. The stabiliser gave way as you were using the crane and the vehicle toppled over. You sustained a serious head injury in the accident.
Despite the high wind conditions, instructions were given that the crane should be used. The crane swung into the building while lifting materials, and you were hit by the load, suffering multiple broken bones.

There are, of course, many other ways workers could be injured when using cranes. For more information, as well as a free eligiblity assessment, talk to our team today.

Types Of Injuries That Can Result From Crane Accidents

As with any heavy machinery, a crane presents risks of serious injury if used improperly. Examples can include:

Brain damage.
Spinal injuries and paralysis.
A broken leg, arm or ribs due to being crushed.
Damage to internal organs.
Fatalities.

You can learn more about claiming compensation for your particular injuries by contacting our advisors for a free eligibility assessment today.

Can I Get Sacked For Claiming Against My Employer?

No, you cannot. It is illegal to take disciplinary or dismissal action against employers who file claims against their place of work. If your employer attempts to take such action against you for making a crane accident compensation claim, seek legal advice immediately.

How To Make A Crane Accident Claim

Now we’ve looked at how much compensation for a crane accident could be awarded following a successful claim, this section examines some key aspects of the claims process.

Gather Evidence To Support Your Case

Gathering evidence is a key feature of claiming compensation in any circumstance. You will need to not only prove that a third party’s action or inaction caused your injuries, but also show what injuries were sustained and how serious they were so the claim can be properly valued.

We have set out a few evidence examples here:

Medical records such as X-rays, other scans, test results and examination notes that show what injuries you sustained.
CCTV footage of the accident if available.
Employers with 10 or more employees are required by law to keep a workplace accident book. You can take a copy of your particular incident report from this.
Training and maintenance logs can be used to show that these key tasks were carried out incorrectly or ignored altogether.
Anyone who saw the accident take place could act as a witness. Make sure you have the relevant contact information for these individuals so their statements can be taken during the claims process.

Time Limits When Beginning A Case

In most personal injury cases, you will have 3 years from the date of the accident to begin your claim. This time limit was set down by the Limitation Act 1980. However, exceptions to the general limitation period can apply in certain circumstances. These are:

Persons under 18 at the time of their accident cannot claim on their own behalf and will, therefore have the 3 year limitation counted from their 18th birthday. This gives them until they turn 21 to start legal action.
Those who lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves will have the time limit paused altogether.

In these scenarios, a parent, guardian or other suitable adult may be appointed to act as a litigation friend. This means they will have the authority to make decisions about the claim on behalf of the injured person and begin any legal action much sooner.

How Long It Can Take To Get Crane Accident Compensation

This is heavily dependent on the individual circumstances of your claim. While our panel of solicitors will do their utmost to complete their work as quickly and diligently as possible, there are multiple factors that are outside of their control.

Some of the things that can affect how long it takes to receive crane accident compensation can include:

The severity of your injuries and how long it takes to assess them.
Any delays with acquiring medical evidence.
If the defendant accepts liability or requires further evidence.
Complex accidents with multiple points of failure will take longer to assess.

To find out if you have a valid claim, contact our advisors using the contact information given below. If you are eligible, a solicitor from our panel could give you a much clearer idea of how long your particular claim will take.

How Our Panel Of Solicitors Can Help You Claim

The claims process can seem daunting at first. That’s why our panel of experts support claimants throughout the claims process. We have set out some of the ways they can help you here:

Breaking the legal language barrier and explaining all the jargon.
Determining a potential compensation figure.
Negotiating a final settlement on your behalf.
Ensuring you are kept informed of all developments during the claim.

Considering Claiming On A No Win No Fee Basis

Our panel of expert solicitors can offer their services on a strictly No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This type of contract provides some very desirable benefits including:

No fees for the solicitor to begin work on your case.
There will also be no solicitors fees payable during the claim process itself.
And lastly, if the claim fails, there will be no fees to pay for this work.

If your case has a successful outcome, personal injury compensation will be awarded to you. The solicitor will take a small success fee from this. However, since success fees are subject to a legally binding cap by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, you will keep most of your compensation.