Man Files Suit After Improperly Rigged Load Falls From Crane

A man has filed a personal injury suit against a corporation, alleging that he suffered injuries from a ladder and other objects being dropped on his head as they were being transported with a crane.

On March 11, Sean Steiner filed suit in Texas’ Jefferson County Circuit Court naming Shippers Stevedoring Co. as a defendant.

The suit says that Steiner was employed by Turner Brothers Crane and Rigging at the time of the October 3 incident. Shippers Stevedoring had requested that Steiner serve as the vessel side flagger as the windmill generator units were unloaded and placed on the dock.

As Steiner was standing in the vessel’s hold, waiting to perform his duty, one of the workers employed by Shippers Stevedoring “suddenly and without warning” began operating a ship-mounted crane carrying a 35-foot fiberglass ladder, several marine rubber buoys, and a water cooler, according to the suit.

However, Steiner claims, the load had been improperly rigged and had no swing alarm to warn him of an overhead load being moved.

The suits says that as the load was above Steiner, it came loose and the contents fell into the ship’s hold and struck him, causing him to suffer severe and permanent injuries to the head, neck, back, left elbow, left ankle, and body.

Steiner claims the incident caused him to incur medical expenses and experience physical and mental pain and anguish, physical incapacity and impairment, and lost earnings and earning capacity.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Shippers Stevedoring for failure to properly rig the crane’s load, failure to maintain control of the load, attempting to move the load with no swing alarm, and failure to warn.

Steiner seeks unspecified damages.