The most common types of construction accident injuries include contusions, lacerations, and broken bones. However, permanent and long-term injuries are possible and not uncommon. These include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic amputations, internal injuries, and more.
Some workers miss months of work, and others have catastrophic injuries that prevent them from ever returning to their previous careers. Construction accident lawyers seek compensation based on their clients’ injuries and the unique set of damages a particular client suffers based upon their circumstances.
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), some of the most commonly cited violations occur on construction sites and lead to serious injuries and deaths. This includes violations related to:
- Fall protection
- Fall protection training
- Scaffolding
- Ladders
- Electricity lockout-tagout
- Industrial trucks
- Falls Are the Leading Reason Behind Construction Site Deaths
- Other Common Ways Construction Workers Suffer Injuries at Work
- What Should I Do After a Construction Accident?
- Pursuing a Case Based on a Construction Accident Injury
- Discuss Your Case With Our Team for Free Today
Falls Are the Leading Reason Behind Construction Site Deaths
The most common types of construction site accident fatalities involve falls. Falls cause a third of all worker deaths in the construction industry, according to data cited by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
While falls are one of the most frequent incidents at work, and they are common in a number of industries, those working in the construction industry and related professions are at a heightened risk for severe injuries and death. This is because they often work at elevated height using scaffolding or ladders.
Thanks to OSHA and additional protections in New York State under New York Labor Law § 240, there are mandatory safety precautions in place for these workers in and around New York City. While these protections may have reduced the risk of accidents on construction sites, they have not eliminated all potential hazards.
What Is Required Under the Scaffold Law?
This law puts property owners and contractors in charge of ensuring the safety of construction workers. This includes providing appropriately safe ladders or scaffolding, ensuring the worker has the proper training, providing personal protective equipment such as harnesses and safety lines, and more.
This law, together with some related statutes, is known as the Scaffold Law. The protections provided by these codes allow carpenters, demolition workers, painters, window washers, and many types of subcontractors who regularly use ladders or scaffolding to hold the landowners and general contractors responsible when they suffer injuries.
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Other Common Ways Construction Workers Suffer Injuries at Work
Working with building materials, heavy machinery, tools, and ladders is often inherently dangerous. However, the negligence of others often causes some of the most common injuries on construction sites. A construction job will quickly turn bad when there are equipment malfunctions, issues with electrical equipment, or missing safety equipment.
In addition to falls, some common ways construction workers suffer injuries include:
Falling Objects
There are additional dangers on active work sites that put workers in danger. The Scaffold Law covers injuries related to falling objects, as well. It is not unusual for a worker above to drop, or fail to properly secure, debris, tools, or other items from a height, which could strike those working below.
Even required protective gear such as hard hats do not protect workers from this common method of construction site injury. These types of accidents can cause catastrophic injuries.
Heavy Equipment
The tools and machines used in construction, renovation, and demolition have their own hazards. This includes power tools, forklifts, and more. Training and following safety protocols are imperative to prevent injuries.
Trapped In/Between Injuries
Being pinned between or under materials or objects is another common method of injury. This is especially problematic for demolition workers and when working with trenches. Collapses often cause severe injuries and death with little warning.
Electrical Injuries
Burns and electrocution are common construction injuries. This occurs when one party acts negligently and does not follow proper protocols to protect others from live wires, defective tools, and other concerns. These are often catastrophic, life-altering, or fatal injuries.
What Should I Do After a Construction Accident?
Whether or not an injured worker is allowed to file a third-party liability claim to recoup losses following an accident depends on many factors. While the Scaffold Law only applies to injuries directly related to working at an elevated height, other laws offer workers protection under various circumstances.
Although New York State law prohibits filing suit against your employer for workplace injuries it also requires workers’ compensation coverage for most workers. However, the property owner or general contractor legally responsible for the worksite is often not the injured worker’s employer. Many workers will file a third-party lawsuit in addition to their workers’ comp coverage.
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Pursuing a Case Based on a Construction Accident Injury
If you were hurt in a construction accident on Long Island or elsewhere in the New York metropolitan area, Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. is here for you. Our multilingual staff will review your case with you, discussing your options in Spanish, Greek, Bengali, Tamil, or Kannada if that is easiest for you.
When we represent a client, we will identify the liable parties, manage all communication on their behalf, and gather evidence to build their claim. We will also determine a value for the case, including non-economic losses.
Building a Case for Compensation
These cases often rely on expert medical witnesses, vocational rehabilitation specialists, life care planners, and economists. We have a network of experts available who understand how to support a legal case based on construction accident injuries, and we call upon them as needed.
We will assess your options based on New York law, determining if you have a third-party case against the property owner or general contractor. Since these cases are generally filed against a company, we might go toe-to-toe with corporate lawyers and large insurance carriers that an untrained, inexperienced layperson, let alone one who has suffered serious or catastrophic injuries, would be best advised not to want to face on your own.
Simply stated, your expertise most likely lies in a construction trade or labor. With so much at stake, it is in your best interest to choose an experienced and dedicated construction accident injury lawyer who will provide fierce advocacy for you, while you obtain the treatment and rest needed to recover and rebuild your life.
Our construction accident lawyers are familiar with how these cases work and how to handle third-party personal injury cases based on workplace fatalities and injuries. When you reach out to our office we will be patient and thorough as we learn about your situation and then lay out your options and our suggestion as to your best course of action.
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Discuss Your Case With Our Team for Free Today
A team member from Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., wants to talk with you about your accident and injuries. We will help you understand if you qualify to pursue a case against the landowner or contractor overseeing the site where you were hurt. We will review your accident and injury case for free.
Reach our office today using our online contact form. Get started now with a complimentary consultation with our construction accident team.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form