The Law Offices of Chaikin and Sherman, P.C.
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Bucket Truck Accidents
Washington, D.C., Maryland & Virginia
A bucket truck is a truck with a boom and "bucket" or "cherry-picker" attached, often employed as service vehicles in the television, telephone, and utility businesses, usually as a way of accessing wires high in the air. The bucket acts as a work platform that can be raised to reach otherwise inaccessible heights such as trees, higher storied buildings, or tall signs.
Common But Deadly
Bucket trucks are a common sight on American roadways and as a part of American commerce, but they can also cause dangerous accidents. These accidents can injure or even kill other motorists on the road.
Why So Dangerous?
There are a number of reasons why so many accidents and deaths occur as a result of bucket truck use. They include:
- Inadequate training and warnings
- Lax maintenance
- Faulty rental equipment
- Inadequate warning
- Dropping objects into the road
Many bucket truck users are renters, renting the equipment for a one-time job such as painting a house, trimming some trees, or installing a sign. Renters are rarely given adequate training as to how to use the equipment or to avoid the many dangers facing a bucket truck. Further, lax maintenance and faulty rental equipment can lead to the boom failing, the truck not providing the proper balance, the bucket tipping, or any other number of mechanical failures resulting in injury or death. When the boom fails or the truck tips into traffic, it can involve other motorists.
If a person is working in a bucket truck on the side of the road, they may not give adequate warning to passing motorists. If you do not realize the truck is stopped, it may cause an accident. And the company working in the street will try to say that the accident is your fault.
Also, people using the bucket truck to trim trees or service power lines often drop debris on the road. Tree branches, lights, signs, and live wires can all force drivers to stop or lose control of their cars.
Utility De-Regulation
Another leading cause of bucket truck accidents is the de-regulation of electrical utilities in the 1980s. Less regulation means that companies are able to cut more corners in order to turn a profit, making power lines and maintenance operations more and more dangerous. As a result of cost-saving measures, linemen also often receive less training, have less experience, and are more susceptible to mistake and error. They more often work alone without a second person to mark off lanes, remove debris, and monitor potential traffic problems.
To further complicate the problem, less regulation means that it is harder to hold these companies liable for injuries or deaths resulting from their lax standards and training. People hurt in a bucket truck accident face an uphill battle.
On Your Side
Bucket truck accidents can cause serious injury or death. If you or someone you know was hurt in a bucket truck accident, talk about your bucket truck accident with the offices of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. for a consultation about getting what you deserve.
