New York Construction Accidents Attorneys Representing Injured Workers
The construction industry is one of America’s largest business sectors, employing approximately 6.3 million people across the country on residential, commercial, heavy and civil engineering projects. In New York City alone, public and private institutions initiated $2.9 billion in construction projects during the first half of 2015, up from $796 million through June of 2014, an increase of 269 percent, according to a New York Building Congress analysis of construction data from Dodge Data & Analytics. Construction work requires the skills of architects, engineers, bricklayers, electricians and carpenters, as well as general operations managers and administrative staff.
However, despite providing millions with steady and well-paid work opportunities, construction is also one of the most dangerous sectors to work in. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts fatalities in the construction industry at 856 in 2013, with non-fatal injuries and illnesses recorded at 3.8 per 100 workers. Recently, the New York Times reported on a shortage of qualified safety inspectors available to ensure safe working conditions for construction workers in New York City. That makes a dangerous job into a more hazardous job.
Construction sites are dangerous places. The Construction’s “Fatal Four” report for 2013 by OSHA listed these four accident types as the most common, attributing to one in five workers deaths:
- Falls
- Electrocution
- Struck by falling objects
- Caught in or between objects
Often construction accidents can be attributed to employers failing to adhere to safety regulations, fail to provide the correct personal protection equipment or insist that they be used. Workers can suffer accidents and injuries from other causes too, such as over-exerting themselves or through the repetitive stresses placed on their bodies during the course of their work. Whether you or someone you know have been injured or you are the family of someone who was killed in a construction accident, you have several options when it comes to recovering compensation or benefits. These options include:
What Do You Need To Know If You or Your Loved One Were Injured In A Construction Accident In New York?
1. Workers Compensation Benefits
If a worker is injured on a New York construction site through the application of their daily work tasks then they are eligible to claim. Benefits are paid by the employer or through a workers compensation insurer and will include full coverage of medical costs along with compensation in part for lost wages. You may also receive disability benefits should you become disabled because of the accident.
You will be entitled to workers compensation benefits even if negligence, on your or your employer’s part, was a factor in your accident. Because you are not usually allowed to sue your employers, this benefit provides the only means for injured workers to take action against them.
2. Scaffolding Injury Claims
Construction workers often use scaffolding in order to perform their work. When a worker falls from scaffolding, or when scaffolding collapses, it can cause them life-altering injuries, such as head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones. If your injuries were a result of falling off scaffolding, New York has a special law designed to protect workers who are injured while on scaffolds to help them pay for medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering and other expenses. That law, New York Labor Law Section 240, requires owners of buildings and general contractors to provide proper safety protection for all on-site workers.
Under this code, liability for scaffolding accidents is strictly placed on employers and contractors. Section 240 provides for a wider compensation to workers than is usually offered under many compensation claims; for example, you may be able to claim for losses relating to pain, suffering and emotional distress.
If you or a loved one were involved in a construction accident, you may be able to bring a lawsuit for your injuries against the owner, general contractor, and other contractors or companies under Sections 200, 240, and 241(6) of the Labor Law of the State of New York. This is very important information for workers injured in construction site accidents because, in many cases, the workers’ compensation benefits do not adequately compensate for the injuries and other damages, like loss of earnings and benefits. It’s important to note that you cannot sue your employer for a work accident because the law limits you to a workers’ compensation claim for your employer if they have workers’ compensation insurance.
The same is true for injuries due to falls from heights.
If you are a construction worker, you know that your job requires you to work on ladders, roofs and on other structures that, because they are high above the ground and can expose you to falling or being struck by falling objects. When workers fall from heights, or when objects fall from heights and land on workers, the result can be broken bones, devastating head injuries, and other serious injuries. These injuries often make it impossible to return to work and can involve expensive medical care. Getting compensation for lost wages and doctor bills is critical for injured workers and their families.
3. Third-Party Injury Claims
Although it is not possible to sue your employers for injuries suffered at work, responsibility can be placed on third parties and you may be able to claim for injuries or death against them. This too, allows for a wider compensation than traditional compensation claims for work-related accidents. You can file a third-party claim if it can be proven that a third party’s negligence or conduct was a contributing factor in causing your accident.
The Most Common Injuries in Construction Site Accidents
Forklift Accidents Injuries
Construction workers who use forklifts on a regular basis also know just how dangerous they can be. In an environment that often stresses productivity over safety, accidents and injuries are likely to occur. Workers are injured in forklift accidents every year. Forklift accidents can cause serious brain, spinal cord, neck and back injuries, many of which leave victims out-of-work and disabled. In some cases, these injuries have caused life-altering conditions, such as paraplegia and quadriplegia.
Electrocution Injuries
Anyone who has worked around sources of electricity, such as high-voltage transformers and wires, knows the potential for danger, especially when proper safety measures are not provided. Electrocution often leads to burns, severe neurological injuries and other serious injuries. In any construction accident case, it is important to know what happened and what should have been done to protect you from an injury. New York Construction Accident Lawyer of The Rybak Firm, PLLC., will investigate your accident, identify those responsible and handle all aspects of your lawsuit and workers’ compensation claim.
New York Crane Accident
While cranes help workers perform essential tasks, they are also dangerous to operate and serious injury can result both to crane operators and to others on a work site where a crane is being used. According to OSHA, there are approximately 125,000 cranes in operation in the construction industry throughout the United States. There are an additional 80,000 to 100,000 cranes in use in the maritime industry and in other general industries.
Crane accident may occur for many reasons, but OSHA has identified the top causes of injury as:
- Cranes coming into contact with energized power lines
- Overturned cranes
- Loads dropping from cranes
- Boom collapses
- Crushing by the counterweight
- Damage from the hook-lifting device
- Falls
- Rigging failures
- Outrigger use problems
New York Crane Accident can be deadly or can cause permanent life-changing injuries. It is extremely important to understand your rights if you or a loved one is hurt in a crane accident. When a crane accident happens, the injured victim or his or her surviving family members may be entitled to benefits or compensation. There are two primary sources of potential compensation from a crane accident.
Workers’ compensation benefits are available to all covered workers for any on-the-job injury regardless of whether the employer was negligent or whether the employee made mistakes.
The other option you may have if you sustain injury in a New York crane accident is to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. You cannot file an injury lawsuit against your employer, as workers’ compensation is an exclusive remedy. However, if any third party was responsible for your injuries – such as the manufacturer or owner of the crane – then you may file a third-party lawsuit.
Ladder/Scaffold Fall
As a construction worker, you know that any fall from a ladder can result in injuries to the back, spinal cord, head and other areas of the body. One of the most important, and often one of the most complex, parts of any case involving a construction accident is determining the responsible parties. Typically, the construction worker’s employer may be held liable in a ladder fall. In addition, we will look to see whether other people may be liable after a ladder fall, such as a general contractor, property owner, product manufacturer or another party whose negligence contributed to the accident. We will look to see if these parties followed OSHA regulations with regards to the ladder and equipment in question. Even a broken bone can make it difficult to work and live normally, while more severe injuries can require a lifetime of care. Work with a personal injury lawyer who has your best interests in mind.
Construction sites are often scattered with debris. Site debris accidents are common in New York and often lead to serious injuries for workers. This debris can often pose a danger, causing workers to trip, fall and injure themselves as a result. When property owners, general contractors and others in charge of construction sites fail to take simple steps to protect workers, such as removing unnecessary debris, they should be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their workers.
Construction site injuries happen every day. Burns. Broken bones. Paralysis. Cuts. Nerve damage. Slips. Falls. And even wrongful deaths. And while it’s the bigger accidents that make the news, every accident can seriously affect the individual who has been injured. We have an exceptional understanding of construction equipment accident law and can also help you follow through on your worker’s compensation claim. That means we’re prepared to help you navigate every stage of your construction equipment accident recovery process. One call does it all for you. We’ll help you diagnose the full scope of your construction site injuries, call on medical experts to support the long-term effects, and work to see that you get every dollar you deserve from those at fault.
At a busy construction site, there is always a chance that falling objects can unexpectedly injure a worker below. From rebar to sheet metal, power tools to cinder blocks, and heavy tools to metal fittings, there are countless ways for construction equipment to cause serious falling object injuries. Even something as seemingly simple as a bolt can be extremely dangerous when falling from a few stories above. And while the rules and regulations surrounding falling object injuries may seem clear, there are always opportunities for employers and site managers to search for legal loopholes in falling object injuries. And that’s why you need legal representatives that know the terrain. The New York construction accident attorneys of The Rybak Firm PLLC are ready to help, bringing essential trial experience to your litigation.
If you’ve slipped or tripped, fallen and were injured while working on a construction site, you should not assume that workers’ compensation is your only option. You should talk to an experienced New York Construction Accident Lawyer right away to determine whether you have a personal injury claim. And with the ability to help file your workers’ compensation claim as well as your personal injury case, instead of referring you to an outside worker’s compensation firm, as many other firms do, we can bring your falling object case full circle.
We Are Experienced New York Construction Accidents Attorneys for Injured Workers
New York Construction Accidents Attorneys of The Rybak Firm, PLLC., have more than 50 years of combined New York legal experience. Consultations are free and confidential, so nobody needs to know that you are talking to a personal injury lawyer. In addition, if we help you pursue a personal injury claim, it will be against someone other than your employer, so you do not have to worry about getting your boss in trouble. If you have been injured on a construction accident in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island or elsewhere in New York, we can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Let us put our experience and passion to work for you.
Second to seeking medical attention, hiring a New York Construction Accident Attorney is the most important decision you can make if you are injured. Without the assistance of a skilled New York Construction Accident Lawyer, you may have tremendous difficulty in securing a compensation. An experienced New York Construction Accident Lawyer has handled cases like yours before and can offer you sound legal advice on how you should move forward. To learn more about the ways Construction Accident Lawyers can help you with your case, and what sets our personal injury law firm apart, contact the New York Construction Accidents Attorneys of The Rybak Firm PLLC, today by completing a ‘Contact Us’ form on our website or by calling (718) 307-5554. Available 24/7 We Provide Free Transportation to and from Our Offices or Can Come to You If you are unable to come due to an injury.
Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
Our offices are located in Brooklyn, New York. However, we serve clients throughout the whole New York City Metro Area and represent clients in every borough of New York City. If an injury prevents you from meeting at our offices, our personal injury attorneys may travel to meet with you. We also provide free transportation to and from our offices.