A Galveston County jury has ordered Maxime Crane Works to pay $1.72 million to Ernesto Tamez after he was severely injured in an accident at BP America Inc. oil refinery in Texas City. Tamez was struck by an oil burner being lifted by a Maximum Crane Works crane operator while at the plant in January 2006. According to the lawsuit he filed, his neck, back, ribs and shoulder were crushed, forcing him to endure extensive surgery to fix the damage. The crane operator had begun lifting the oil burner before the area was clear, trial evidence indicated. The verdict includes $300,000 in lost wages, $550,000 in medical expenses and $170,000 to the injured worker’s wife.