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Steve Kherkher - October 8, 2026
Boom trucks are used every day in construction, utilities, telecommunications, tree care, maintenance, and other industries. These vehicles provide workers with access to elevated work areas and allow materials and equipment to be positioned in difficult-to-reach areas.
Boom trucks are incredibly useful, but they also compound the risks of heavy vehicles, elevated platforms, hydraulic equipment, electrical hazards, and sometimes heavy loads. When something goes wrong, the consequences are often catastrophic. Boom truck accidents often result in serious or fatal injuries.
At Kherkher Garcia, our catastrophic injury lawyers help injured individuals and families understand their options after serious accidents, including complex construction, trucking, workplace, and industrial incidents. Below, we discuss the factors surrounding boom truck accidents and injuries, and the rights of victims and families.
A boom truck is a truck-mounted piece of equipment with an extendable or articulating boom. Depending on its configuration and intended use, the boom may support a bucket or platform for elevating workers or moving materials. Boom trucks are also sometimes called bucket trucks, aerial lift trucks, cherry pickers, or aerial devices. Often, the terminology varies based on the equipment and use.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) generally treats vehicle-mounted devices used to elevate personnel as aerial lifts. Its regulations address equipment such as extensible boom platforms, articulating boom platforms, aerial ladders, and vertical towers. These machines can be used in a wide range of settings, including:
Boom truck accidents happen for a variety of reasons, sometimes involving more than one contributing factor. Some of the most common injuries include:
Workers operating from an elevated platform can suffer serious injuries if they fall or are thrown from the bucket. OSHA requirements address fall protection, including the use of appropriate personal fall arrest or travel restraint systems when working from aerial lifts.
A boom truck can become unstable if it is improperly positioned, overloaded, operated on unsuitable ground, or otherwise used outside safe operating conditions. A tip-over can cause the operator or workers in the bucket to fall or be ejected. It can also place people on the ground at risk of being crushed or struck. OSHA’s aerial-lift requirements address stability measures such as setting brakes and positioning outriggers on pads or solid surfaces when outriggers are used.
Electrical contact is one of the most serious hazards associated with boom trucks. A boom or bucket that contacts an energized power line can expose workers to severe electrical injuries or electrocution. People on the ground may also be injured if electricity travels through the truck or surrounding equipment. Electrocution is frequently cited as a major cause of injuries and fatalities.
Some boom trucks are used to move materials or equipment. A load that is improperly secured, exceeds limitations, or becomes unstable can fall and strike workers. The danger is not limited to people operating the truck, however. Construction workers, pedestrians, motorists, and others in the work area may also be exposed to falling objects.
Boom trucks depend on hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical components to control the boom and platform. A defective or failing component can cause unexpected movement, loss of control, collapse, or a sudden drop. Safety officials advise against overriding hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical safety devices and emphasize proper maintenance and operation.
The condition of the work area matters when operating a boom truck. Uneven or unstable ground, improperly positioned outriggers, inadequate clearance, or poor positioning may increase the risk of an accident. Employers should assess the worksite for hazards and implement controls addressing stabilization and positioning prior to deploying a boom arm.
Every boom truck has limitations regarding the weight it can safely support or lift. Exceeding those limitations can affect stability and equipment performance. Importantly, load limitations include not only the person operating from the platform but also tools, materials, and other equipment.
Boom trucks also function as motor vehicles. The large trucks that support booms and equipment can be involved in collisions like any other type of vehicle. A collision can injure the truck operator, workers in an elevated platform, occupants of another vehicle, pedestrians, or others nearby.
Because boom truck accidents can involve significant heights, heavy equipment, electrical hazards, falling objects, and vehicle collisions, injuries may be severe. Common injuries can include:
Injuries may require emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, or long-term medical care. A catastrophic injury can also affect a person’s ability to work and provide for their family. In the worst cases, these accidents can cause fatal injuries. In any of these cases, victims and families face a great deal of stress, pain, and uncertainty about the future.
Determining responsibility after a boom truck accident requires a detailed investigation. The person operating the truck is not necessarily the only party whose actions or decisions may need to be examined. Depending on the circumstances, potentially relevant parties could include:
The involvement of one of these parties does not automatically establish liability. The facts and evidence are important for each case.
A serious boom truck accident may involve legal elements related to both transportation and construction. Understanding what happened requires examining evidence such as:
The investigation can become particularly important when multiple companies are relevant to the same project. Understanding the relationships between parties on the scene can help attorneys determine who is potentially liable and what evidence may be relevant.
After any serious accident, medical care should be the immediate priority. Depending on the circumstances, it may also be helpful to:
If the accident caused serious injuries or the death of a loved one, speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney may help you understand what legal options may be available.
Texas has a large construction, energy, and industrial workforce, making boom trucks an important part of many operations. That also means serious boom truck accidents can occur in a wide range of environments. Construction sites and oilfield work are among the industries with the most risk.
For Texas injury cases, the legal issues can depend heavily on:
That’s why it is so important to contact an attorney after an accident. A worker injured on the job may face a different legal framework from a motorist or pedestrian injured by a boom truck. Other issues can arise when defective equipment, negligent maintenance, or the conduct of a third party may have contributed to an injury. An attorney can evaluate these circumstances and explain potential legal options.
Common hazards include falls from elevated platforms, electrocution, tip-overs, falling objects, equipment failures, improper setup, overloading, and roadway collisions.
Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties may include an operator, employer, contractor, equipment owner, maintenance company, manufacturer, loading company, or another third party.
If evidence suggests that a defect in the boom truck, bucket, hydraulic system, safety component, or another product contributed to an injury, a product liability claim may be among the issues worth investigating.
Seek appropriate medical attention, document your injuries and expenses, preserve information you have about the accident, and speak with a qualified attorney about your potential legal options.
A boom truck accident leaves victims and families facing far more than the immediate aftermath of the incident. Serious injuries affect your health, your ability to work, and your family’s future. Understanding the cause of the accident is complex when equipment, employers, contractors, manufacturers, and other parties are involved.
At Kherkher Garcia, we help injured individuals and families navigate complex personal injury matters including construction and transportation incidents. Our team can investigate the circumstances surrounding a serious accident and help you understand the legal options that may be available.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a boom truck accident, contact Kherkher Garcia for a free injury consultation. We are here to listen, answer your questions, and help you understand your options to pursue recovery. Start now by calling 713-333-1030, or by submitting our online contact form.
Steve Kherkher is passionate about serving his clients. He has dedicated his life to championing the rights of those who have experienced catastrophic injury due to negligence.
Steve Kherkher, along with Trial Lawyer Jesus Garcia, founded Kherkher Garcia, and under their leadership, the firm achieved unprecedented success within its first three years.
With a career spanning over 35 years, Steve’s tireless pursuit of justice for his clients has earned him national recognition and numerous accolades as an exemplary trial attorney.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorneys Steve Kherkher and Jesus Garcia Jr., who have more than 50 years of combined legal experience championing the rights of those who have experienced catastrophic injury due to negligence.
Connect with a Kherkher Garcia trial lawyer today to pursue maximum compensation for your injury.
