Bucket Truck Accident Lawyers
Orlando, Florida
A bucket truck is more formally known as an articulated boom aerial device, and refers to the machinery used by phone companies, tree service companies and electricity companies to do installation, service, and maintenance. Tree tops, electrical wires and phone lines are high and hard to reach and the people who work on them must be lifted by a bucket truck for access. These bucket trucks are also used by freeway workers to hang vehicle signs, which adds the potential danger of traffic interfering with the bucket truck, especially if the boom is extended over a traffic lane that's in use.
Click here to watch educational videos on vehicle accidents
- Choose A Tale of Two Crashes to learn about low speed collision.
- Click on Recovering From Auto Injuries to learn about specific types of collisions.
- Select Understanding Low Velocity Whiplash Biomechanics to learn about whiplash injuries in great detail.
- Choose Understanding Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to learn about how brain injuries can occur from an auto collision - even without direct head impact.
This type of work places the worker in a potentially life-threatening situation, and bucket trucks must be well-designed, well-maintained, and properly operated to keep the worker safe. An experienced bucket truck lawyer will know what to look for and what questions to ask.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bucket truck accident in the Orlando, Florida area, contact our truck accident attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter. We know how unexpected and devastating such an accident can be and we can help you with legal support and advice.
Types of bucket truck accidents
- Power Failure - Bucket trucks use either a hydraulic system or an electrical system for raising and lowering the boom. There must be safety features to prevent boom or bucket movement if the hydraulic line or the electrical power were to fail.
- Overturns - When the boom is raised, so is the center of gravity of the truck, and overturn accidents can happen. Truck operators must be careful not to overload the boom, and not to use it when the truck is parked on a surface which slopes too steeply.
- Electrocution accidents - can happen when part of the bucket truck touches an electrical distributor. When the line voltage is low, 15 volts or less, these distributors are closer together, increasing such electrocution danger. There are Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules for those who work in bucket trucks, such as wearing rubber gloves or a harness, but sometimes the worker will forget them, especially if there's a sudden emergency situation. Not all bucket truck workers are electricians. If a tree needs cutting back because it's interfering with the electrical lines, that can put the tree service worker in danger from electrical lines.
Several studies have been done on bucket truck accidents which agree in finding that employee training and warnings are not sufficient to protect workers in all circumstances. This means that equipment and truck manufacturers should take a preventive approach, designing and building machinery with safety features that will protect workers in as many situations as possible.
If you have been injured in a bucket truck accident, you may be able to receive compensation. An experienced bucket truck lawyer can listen to your concerns, assess your situation, and determine the best course of action for you. We work on contingency, so unless you recover on your claim, we don't get paid. Don't delay in getting experienced legal help. Call or email us today to schedule your free initial consultation.
3 5 2 - 3 4 7 6
