Scaffolding injuries and falls from ladders or other heights. Scaffolds and ladders are essential for working on high walls and exteriors. They are so important, there is a specific code section, New York Labor Law Section 240, regulating their use and specifying the compensation due to workers who fall from improperly installed scaffolding. 

Falls from heights, or falling objects from heights, account for a great number of construction site injuries. If your job requires you to work on ladders, rooftops, or high rises under construction, you should be provided with proper safety equipment and training on accident prevention. Consult with an NYC construction accident lawyer if you fall from a height or if something falls on you.

Forklift and heavy machinery accidents. Any moving vehicle is a risk of an accident. The difference here is that construction equipment is often heavier than other motor vehicles, and there is an extra danger because workers and pedestrians will walk near such equipment and the operators of the equipment are focused on the job and not watching to make sure no one is hurt.  Crush injuries, neck and back injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and complex fractures of the long bones are some common results of heavy equipment injuries.

These injuries can be life-altering and may require weeks, or months of recovery time, and sometimes lifelong therapies and rehabilitation is required. Any such injury needs immediate investigation and action by an experienced construction accident lawyer. 

Electrocution and welding. Wiring on a job site is potentially life-threatening. In the big city, high-voltage transformers are the norm, not the exception. Wires run under, over, and around the buildings, and are difficult to avoid even when great care is taken. If care is not taken, terrible accidents can happen. Electrical burns and electric shock can lead to falls from heights and neurological damage and disfiguring injury.

Ironworking is a skilled trade and indispensable to the building industry. The various types of welding done on construction sites today involve various heating and electrical tools all of which have the potential to cause burns and other severe injuries. Acetylene and other compressed gases are all implicitly hazardous, often construction workers are injured because they are not provided with the proper safety equipment as required.

Cranes. New York went through a period of crane accidents several years ago when it seemed cranes were falling out of the sky every month. Since then, regulations have been strengthened, and crane accidents are less frequent. Nevertheless, falling from a crane or when a crane falls causing injuries is a terrifying prospect.

Frequently injuries are caused by negligent crane operators, lookout failures in the blind spots, failure to properly secure loads, and rushing to get the jobs done. Additionally, injuries are caused by cranes impacting overhead wires, when the load falls, the boom collapses, and/or rigging failures.

There are several possibilities for insurance coverage if you are injured while working on a New York construction site. The first initial layer is workers’ compensation. This insurance is provided by your employer and is intended to cover all your medical costs and at least part of any lost wages for a certain period of time after your injury. Workers’ compensation is paid without consideration of fault or negligence by you or your employer.

You cannot file a claim against your employer, but if negligence by another party was involved, you may be able to file a third-party insurance claim against that party. You can file a claim against the building owner, the general contractor if it's not your employer, and any other party responsible for providing you with safety equipment. If you work for a contractor at a commercial worksite the building owner is responsible for your safety and if you fall from a height, or are injured due to a failure to provide proper safety equipment you can sue the building owner. 

Before considering a lawsuit you should discuss the circumstances with a construction accident attorney. There are numerous complicated issues in construction accidents, and you need an experienced construction accident lawyer to protect you.

If you are filing a third-party lawsuit, or if you are not a worker, but were injured in a construction accident as a visitor or vendor to the site, you are allowed to recover the same damages that any personal injury case can recover in New York. 

• Pain and suffering can be quantified and calculated and can be included in your legal action. If your accident has made you need therapy or other emotional support, you are entitled to receive it.
• Medical treatment, medical costs, and bills including any post-hospital devices such as crutches, braces, walkers, and canes. If you need follow-up visits, rehabilitative therapy, or other post-hospital treatment, that is included as well. 
• Lost wages and future income, including partial disability. If you are told to stay home and rest

Whether you file a workers’ compensation claim or a third-party claim, you will probably be facing a contractor or corporation with a legal department that wants to make sure their insurance company pays you the lowest amount they can. Even in workers’ compensation cases, the goal is to patch you up and get you back to work as soon as possible. You should have an aggressive construction accident attorney at your side so that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Whether filing an insurance claim or taking a case to litigation, you will need to present your case in the best light possible. To do this, there are documents you’ll need to produce, witnesses to talk to, and court dates to make. A layperson would have a hard time doing all this while still recovering from a serious accident. That’s what we are here for.

• Investigation. The site of the accident needs to be measured and photographed. Witnesses to the accident must be interviewed, a legal process called deposition. Any reports and records that can be obtained, such as medical reports, need to be reviewed. Although you might be able to get all this yourself, our office team can get it faster and with much less effort.
• Discovery. You are entitled to get all the information that the opposing side has, such as their witnesses and reports, and their version of events. They are also allowed to ask you for all your information. This process is called discovery. The goal of discovery is to find out anything that can help your case and potentially weaken theirs. It is always better to have an attorney review their requests, and make sure theirs are entirely legal.
• Pretrial negotiations. If everyone agrees to the facts in the case, the only issue is the terms of the settlement. Before you sign anything, even if it seems to be exactly what you want, you should have an attorney review it to make sure you are not signing away any important rights. No matter how simple the document looks, you should have an attorney read the fine print. Never sign anything the insurer gives you sight unseen.
• Trial. Even attorneys don’t act as their own lawyers. You shouldn’t try it yourself. If your case goes to court, you need a construction accident lawyer. NYC court procedures are sometimes very complex and can be tricky even for our experienced trial lawyers. We can guide you through the process and help you get the just result you deserve.