New York Construction Accident Attorney
The New York construction accident attorneys at The Sanders Law Firm know how dangerous New York City construction sites can be because we represent workers who are injured on them. We’re dedicated to recovering maximum compensation for all construction accident victims. In addition to workers’ compensation benefits, if New York labor laws were not followed, an injured worker may be eligible to file a construction accident lawsuit.
New York labor laws impose strict responsibilities on property owners, general contractors, and others.
Construction workers make up only five percent of New York City’s workforce, but account for more than one-quarter of the City’s work-related injury fatalities. Construction work results in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries each year in New York City alone. It’s not just working on high rises that is dangerous, either. Every construction site, including residential construction, has potential worker hazards. Whether you’re installing steel beams hundreds of feet in the air or putting in drywall at ground level, safety threats abound on construction sites.
While construction work is inherently dangerous, construction accidents and injuries often occur because those responsible for site safety don’t follow the rules. New York State has special laws that protect construction workers. You may know that New York labor laws impose strict responsibilities on property owners, general contractors, and others. However, you may not know the best recourse under the law to protect your rights if you’ve been injured on a construction site.
The firm represents clients in construction accident lawsuits involving:
Don’t Pay Unless You Win
Leading New York Construction Accident Lawyers
We’ve seen firsthand the emotional and financial burdens faced by families dealing with a serious injury or death caused by a construction site accident in New York. We’re passionate about obtaining justice for construction site victims who suffered harm because somebody else didn’t do their job properly. We promise to do our job as construction accident lawyers and fight for every dollar you’re owed.
Our trial lawyers have decades of experience successfully handling construction accident lawsuits on behalf of injured workers. Experts on New York State labor law and OSHA regulations, we work with construction engineers and other experts to prove safety violations and liability. The personal injury attorneys at The Sanders Law Firm are members of Super Lawyers, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Justice, and the Million Dollar Advocates and Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a construction accident in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, or Long Island, the New York personal injury attorneys at The Sanders Law Firm can provide a free, no obligation consultation to determine the best path forward. Though we’re one of the largest and most trusted personal injury firms in NYC, all clients receive personalized service and unwavering support. And since we work on a contingency basis, our legal team charges no attorney fees for handling your case unless a verdict or settlement is obtained on your behalf.
Call toll-free: 1-833-SANDERS or Contact Us to schedule your free case review.
Causes of New York Construction Accidents
Every month in New York City, dozens of reports are filed in response to construction accident injuries and fatalities. A recent report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) outlined how dangerous construction remains in New York State and New York City. It found concerning trends in construction accident injuries and fatalities and concluded that “employers routinely violate legal regulations with impunity.”
According to the report, fatal falls are the top cause of construction fatalities in both New York State and New York City. This corresponds with the “fatal four” for the construction industry identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) (OSHA).
Approximately 1 out of 5 worker deaths occur in construction. OSHA reports that in 2018, the leading causes were:
- Falls (33.5%)
- Struck by Object (11.1%)
- Electrocutions (8.5%)
- Caught-in/between (5.5%)
Workers should know that an OSHA violation may be used as evidence of negligence in support of a Labor Law claim. Among the most commonly-cited OSHA construction violations are those related to:
- Fall Protection
- Hazard Communication
- Scaffolding
- Lockout/Tag
- Respiratory Protection
- Ladders
- Powered Industrial Trucks
- Fall Protection Training
- Machine Guarding
- Eye and Face Protection
Remember: you can’t be fired for reporting an OSHA violation, or for filing a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury lawsuit. You have rights as an injured worker. Asserting your rights shines a light on unsafe practices and helps to protect other construction workers. To learn more about your legal rights, schedule a free case review with a construction accident attorney.
Liability in a New York Construction Accident
New York State labor laws provide legal protections specifically for construction workers injured on a job site. Labor Law sections 200, 240, and 241 protect workers who are involved in construction, demolition, excavation, cleaning, and repair by making the owner of the jobsite and the general contractor liable for construction accident injuries. Depending on how the accident happened, sub-contractors, architects, and product manufacturers, distributors, or sellers may also be liable.
- Labor Law § 200 imposes a duty on owners and general contractors to protect the health and safety “of all persons employed therein or lawfully frequenting such places.” For an injured construction worker to recover monetary damages under section 200, they must have suffered an injury connected with the workplace, and they must show that the owner or contractor exercised supervision and control over the work performed at the site, or knew—or should have known—about an unsafe condition that caused the construction accident.
- Labor Law § 240, also known as the Scaffolding Law, is designed to protect workers from falls and/or injuries from falling objects. It requires owners, contractors, and their agents to put in place adequate safety devices when workers have to perform job duties at elevation. Importantly, a construction worker’s recovery is not reduced by his/her own negligent conduct. Workers have successfully brought construction accident lawsuits under section 240 for falls from heights as low as 12 inches.
- Labor Law § 241, or the “Safe Place to Work Law,” contains specific guidelines about how construction sites should be arranged and operated to prevent injuries to workers at ground level from hazards such as slip, trip, and fall accidents, chemicals, and air contamination. Unlike the Scaffolding Law, section 241 does not impose absolute liability on construction companies, property owners, and contractors who are responsible for providing a safe work environment. There must be a determination about whether the safety measures employed at the site were “reasonable and adequate” under the circumstances.
New York Labor Law Compensation
Generally, thanks to the way these laws are written, a New York labor law violation favors the plaintiff. Labor law cases have resulted in some massive verdicts and settlements for injured construction workers. In 2015, a State of New York court awarded $96 million to the families of two workers who died as a result of a tower construction crane collapse. In 2014, a jury awarded more than $62 million to a construction worker who fell 20 feet from a roof while installing metal siding. It was one of the largest personal injury verdicts in Queens history.
Unlike a workers’ compensation claim, which provides only partial wage replacement, a personal injury lawsuit for a construction accident can provide full compensation for lost wages, future lost earning capacity, past and future medical bills, mental anguish, pain and suffering, rehabilitation, and long-term care.
If you think you might have a claim for construction accident injuries or wrongful death, The Sanders Law Firm can explain all potential avenues of recovery. You might qualify for workers’ compensation as well as a third party lawsuit. New York construction workers know what it means to be a part of a team and do their job. It is our job as construction accident attorneys to make sure you receive maximum compensation, from all possible sources, for your work site injury. Discuss your case with an attorney, free of charge.
At The Sanders Law Firm, Success Is A Tradition
Founded in 1967, The Sanders Law Firm has flourished into one of New York’s most successful personal injury practices, with an accomplished team of attorneys, paralegals, health care consultants, and support staff. Our trial attorneys take new cases on a contingency basis, which means there is no cost to the client unless we secure monetary damages on your behalf.
Our personal injury law firm continues to make its industry-leading legal services even better, and hire attorneys and staff that enable us to serve a more diverse population.
At The Sanders Firm, there is never any charge to evaluate your case. We have helped thousands of injured clients throughout New York City, Long Island, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, and we’re prepared to help you too. In just the last five years we have procured over $100 million dollars on behalf of our clients, thanks to our vast resources and experienced attorneys. Our personal injury law firm continues to make its industry-leading legal services even better, and hire attorneys and staff that enable us to serve a more diverse population.
To set up your free, no-obligation case review with a New York personal injury lawyer, please call (516) 591-3208 or contact us using our online form. Our friendly staff is standing by to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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The Sanders Law Firm is a New York personal injury practice with offices in Long Island, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.