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Hawaii Crane and Forklift Accident Lawyer

Top Rated Hawaii Construction Accident Lawyer Fighting on Behalf of Crane and Forklift Injury Victims in Honolulu and Throughout HI

Visit any port in Hawaii or California, and you will see longshoremen lifting and manipulating multi-ton shipping containers with the aid of massive forklifts and cranes. Much of the grunt work of modern marine commerce involves packing, loading, unloading and unpacking these 20- to 40-foot long containers, hundreds of which can be stacked on large barges and other marine vessels. Although the containers themselves are fairly standardized, their contents are not, ranging from clothing to machine parts to toxic chemicals which pose an added risk to unwary workers.

Even on dry land, the operation of cranes and forklifts entails significant risks. These devices have numerous moving parts, and they’re extremely heavy, in order to counterbalance the multi-ton loads they’re designed to manipulate. If the operator of a crane or forklift is insufficiently trained, or if he’s using the wrong piece of machinery for the job, he can easily lose control of the load he’s attempting to move, and may even cause the entire vehicle to tip over. By the same token, an improperly maintained crane or forklift can, through no fault of its operator or crew, be involved in a serious or even deadly accident. Not only the crane or forklift’s crew is at risk, but anyone else working (or even walking) in the immediate vicinity.

PACECO Equipment

All sorts of cranes and forklifts are used in shipping ports, but some types are so common that they’re practically a part of the average longshoreman’s vocabulary. The Transtainer crane, manufactured by PACECO, is a massive, four-legged piece of machinery that stacks shipping containers for storage and loads them onto trucks. Another piece of PACECO equipment, the Top Handler, is a truck-mounted crane capable of lifting multi-ton shipping containers, albeit one at a time. “Hammerheads” are especially difficult to operate; these giant cranes are cantilevered, and have a wide perimeter of operation. Finally, a Zodiac crane attaches to the end of a large boat, and is used to lift slightly less massive loads.

Longshoreman Accidents Under the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act

Longshoremen who are injured while operating forklifts and cranes have recourse to file for damages under the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act (LHWCA), which entitles stevedores and dockworkers to the same legal protections as their colleagues on dry land. The LHWCA requires a longshoreman’s employer to pay two-thirds of his wages while he recuperates from an accident (whether or not that accident was caused by an identifiable party), and also allows an injured dockworker (or the relatives of a deceased dockworker) to collect damages for gross negligence or recklessness.

Call Today for a Free Consultation With an Experienced Hawaii Crane and Forklift Accident Lawyer

Hawaii Crane and Forklift Accident Lawyer

While most claims for crane and forklift injuries have to be filed through the LHWCA, there is a notable loophole, which a seasoned maritime attorney will be certain to look out for. If it can be proved that the accident was the result of faulty equipment, the manufacturer of the crane or forklift can be sued in a third-party action, over and above any compensation received under LHWCA. This loophole doesn’t apply, of course, if the crane or forklift doesn’t have any intrinsic mechanical defects, but has simply been improperly maintained or serviced by harbor management.

Mr. Easley practices primarily in California and Hawaii and his clients include longshoremen, shipyard workers, tugboat and barge crewmen, dredge crewmen, pile drivers, marine construction workers, merchant seaman and tour boat/recreational boat crews and passengers and he may be able to help you recover for your losses if you were injured on any waterway, port or harbor in Hawaii, including:

  • Ala Wai Harbor
  • Hanalei River
  • Honolulu Harbor
  • Kaneohe Bay
  • Kawaihae
  • Kewalo Basin
  • Pearl Harbor
  • The Pacific Coast
  • Kahului
  • Nawiliwili
  • Port Allen
  • Barbers Point Hilo
  • Kona

Attorney Preston Easley has personally handled numerous catastrophic maritime accidents involving cranes, forklifts, dredges, barges, tugboats, and defective products and equipment. At the appellate level, he has been a pioneer in expanding the rights of injured workers, frequently reversing lower court decisions and making new law. [Published Decisions]

His background in the Navy, and hands-on experience working in the maritime industry gives him a unique perspective on maritime accidents. If you have been injured in a boating or ship accident, or while working on a vessel, or someone you loved was involved in a fatal accident you need an experienced maritime accident attorney to fight for you.

For a free initial consultation, email or Call (310) 832-5315 to discuss your case.

San Pedro, CA 90731 (310) 832-5315
San Diego, CA (619) 699-4884
Ventura, CA (805) 289-1551
Honolulu, HI (808) 922-2383 

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Cases We Handle

  • maritime worker working on ship

    Longshoremen & Shipyard Workers

    Longshoring and shipyard work are very dangerous occupations. Workers in these fields, along with marine construction workers, are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, a very generous no-fault workers’ compensation system. It covers medical expenses, temporary disability, permanent disability and vocational rehabilitation.

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  • sea vessel docked at US shore

    Jones Act Seamen

    A seaman is a member of the crew of a vessel or group of vessels under common ownership or control. The vessel can be anything from a raft to a cargo ship. We represent seamen who work aboard recreational vessels, tugboats, dredges, barges, skiffs, workboats and cargo ships. We also represent seamen who are marine construction workers

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  • Diving

    We represent people who have been injured in SCUBA diving accidents and Commercial diving accidents. We also handle diving boat accidents. Diving can be very dangerous. We successfully represented a commercial diver who was seriously injured while cleaning the propeller of a U.S. Navy ship at Pearl Harbor

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  • accident at construction site and hard hat on floor

    Construction & Industrial Accidents

    Construction and industrial sites can be very dangerous. Although you generally cannot sue your own employer for a construction site or industrial accident (generally workers’ compensation is your exclusive remedy against your employer) there are many circumstances in which you can file a third party lawsuit against an entity other than your employer for an unsafe condition at a work site which causes you to be injured

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  • Forklift and Crane Injuries Lawyer

    Crane & Forklift Accidents

    The Easley firm has extensive experience with crane and forklift accidents and workplace accidents involving dangerous equipment and machinery. These accidents can be caused by operator error and they can be caused by the unsafe and defective condition of the equipment

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  • auto accident involving two cars on a city street

    Motor Vehicle & Truck Accidents

    Motor vehicle accidents can result in serious injury and death. These kinds of accidents can involve automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians and unsafe road design and unsafe road conditions

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  • Catamaran Injuries Attorney

    Passenger Vessel Accidents

    Passenger accidents are common on recreational vessels, catamarans, tour boats and cruise ships.  They are frequently caused by rough sea conditions and unsafe conditions aboard the vessels.  The Easley firm has extensive experience in the field of maritime law.  We have made new law in the field of maritime law with numerous precedent setting decisions in the State Appellate Courts, the Ninth Circuit Federal Court

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  • Defense Base Act

    The Defense Base Act is an extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act which covers civilian employees of U.S. defense contractors injured overseas, including war zones. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensations Act as extended by the Defense Base Act is a very generous no fault workers’ compensation system

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Areas Where We Practice

Preston Easley is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He served five years of active duty as a Naval officer — three years as a deck officer on a fast frigate and two years as a patrol boat skipper. Mr. Easley also served aboard a tank landing ship in the reserves.

waves

California

Hawaii

Let Us Get You The Compensation You Deserve

Preston Easley is an experienced lawyer with considerable expertise in handling federal and state personal injury cases. He will aggressively seek the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to receive. Attorney Easley represents victims of serious and fatal accidents involving cars, trucks, construction projects and maritime work.

Construction Workers We Help

  • Crane and Forklift Operators
  • Pile Drivers
  • Scaffold Workers
  • Iron Workers
  • Carpenters
  • Electricians
  • Operating Engineers
  • Electricians

Maritime Workers We Help

  • National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) Shipyard Workers
  • Manson Construction Company Workers
  • Manson Dredging Workers
  • Dutra Dredging Workers
  • Commercial Divers
  • Scuba Divers
  • Commercial Fisherman
  • Government Maritime Claims Against the Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, or the US Coast Guard, etc.
  • Marine Construction Workers
  • Offshore Oil and Gas Workers
  • Seamen
  • Shipyard Workers
  • YYK Enterprises, Inc.
  • Pacific Tugboat Service
  • Long Beach Container Terminal
  • Tugboat, Dredge, Longshoremen, and Ferry Workers
  • Barge Crews and Barge Workers
  • Marisco Limited
  • HL Welding
  • SSA Marine
  • Catalina Express
  • R.E. State Engineering
  • Shimmick Construction
  • Nova Group
  • American Scaffolding
  • Safway Scaffolding
  • Kirby Tugs
  • Crowley Tugboats
  • P&R Water Taxi
  • Continental Maritime
  • Pacific Ship Repair
  • Seaward Marine
  • Healy Tibbitts
  • General Construction
  • BAE Shipyards
  • South Coast Welding
  • Matson
  • Pasha
  • Hawaii Stevedores, Inc.
  • McCabe, Hamilton & Renny
  • Young Brothers
  • Sause Bros.
  • Foss Maritime
  • Fenix Marine Services
  • ITS
  • Total Terminals
  • TraPac
  • PCMC
  • Maersk
  • Yang Ming
  • China Overseas Shipping
  • Evergreen

Boating Accidents

  • Catamaran Accidents
  • Charter and Tour Boats
  • Cruise Ship Accidents
  • Passenger Accidents
  • Jet Ski and Personal Watercraft
  • Motorboat Accidents
  • Recreational Accidents
  • Scuba Diving Accidents
  • Speed Boat Accidents
  • Yachts and Sail Boat Accidents
  • Repair Accidents
  • Crew Accidents
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