Massachusetts Cherry Picker Accidents Attorneys

Some people refer to them as cherry pickers, while other people refer to them as boom trucks, basket cranes, or bucket trucks. Whatever you call it, this bucket truck is a unique piece of equipment that lets workers perform tasks at great heights that were previously much more difficult to accomplish. However, this equipment is also particularly dangerous. Some statistics suggest that up to 70% of all aerial fatalities are caused by bucket truck accidents. The following workers are most susceptible to sustaining a work injury in a cherry picker accident: construction workers, electricians, repair workers, power-line repairmen and installers, and tree trimmers. Because many of these accidents involve falls from great heights, workers involved in bucket truck accidents often face life-changing injuries or even death.

If you or a loved one is a worker who has been injured in an accident involving a bucket truck or cherry picker, you should not hesitate to obtain the assistance of a skilled accident attorney

How Bucket Trucks Work

Bucket trucks are utility trucks equipped with a boom and an extendable pole with a basket or bucket attached at the end. The boom is capable of being operated inside the bucket or through a panel on the truck. Some bucket trucks can extent a worker over 100 feet in the air. While these trucks are used by companies engaged in a variety of industries, most often these booms are used by companies involved in providing utilities, trimming trees, installing commercial roofs, repairing or replacing billboards, and window cleaning. No matter the industry, though, workers who use this equipment are at significant risk of being seriously injured or even killed.

Common Accidents Involving Bucket Truck Workers

Falling from the bucket while it is extended is the most common accident. Some of the most common bucket truck injuries and accidents involve the following:

  • Buckets that overturn because the high center of gravity
  • Collisions between the cherry picker and other vehicles on the road
  • Electrocution through contact with power lines
  • Hydraulics that fail to operate properly and cause buckets to lose control or drop suddenly

Safety Tips to Avoid Bucket Accidents

Given the serious risk of injury associated with boom trucks, there are some steps that workers can take to reduce the risk of being involved in accidents. These safety precautions include:

  • Always treat electrical sources as live
  • Avoid overriding safety devices, which prevent accidents
  • Be sure to use a truck’s brakes, particularly when parked on hills
  • Do not operate trucks while workers are still in the bucket
  • Make sure that workers keep a distance of at least 10 feet from electrical sources
  • Never let workers position themselves between hazards and the bucket’s rails
  • Perform routine on maintenance to avoid equipment failure
  • Use restraints to reduce the chance of falling out of the bucket

Contact a Skilled Cherry Picker Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one is involved in a bucket truck accident, do not hesitate to contact our construction accident and workers compensation attorneys today. Our legal counsel understands how these accidents occur and will remain committed to fighting for the compensation that you deserve.

We offer a free, no-obligation legal consultation to help you understand your rights and the value of your case.

Our worker’s injury lawyers assist clients throughout all of Massachusetts including, but not limited to, those in the following counties, cities and towns: Plymouth County, Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Westport, Dartmouth, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.