Rockland County, New York Construction Accident Attorney

Have you or your loved one been injured in an accident at a construction site in New York? If so, please contact Evan Goldberg Law for your free initial consultation to discuss your case. Evan Goldberg is an experienced construction accident attorney who has handled thousands of accident cases and achieved multiple million dollar settlements and judgements for his clients including construction accident cases, such as:

  • $7 million jury verdict for worker who lost arm due to dangerous machinery
  • $1.25 million jury verdict for construction laborer who fell off ladder

In addition to successfully bringing cases in Court, Evan Goldberg has advocated to the Legislature with regard to safe work sites and proper safety practices for construction laborers/workers. His experience and reputation in this area benefit his clients, who are often devastated by the effects of a dangerous worksite.

Is working on New York construction sites dangerous?

Fatal Injuries among New York City Construction Workers article in the NYC government’s publication NYC Vital Signs.

Causes of fatal construction accidents in New York

NYC Vital Signs: Causes of fatal unintentional injuries among New York City construction workers

According to the NYC Vital Signs report on fatal injuries at NYC construction sites:

From 2007 to 2014, 144 construction deaths occurred due to unintentional injuries, or injuries that occurred without the intent to cause harm.

From 2007 to 2014, 15 construction fatalities resulted from intentional injuries—six homicides and nine suicides.

Falls comprised more than half (58%) of  fatal unintentional injuries among construction workers. Most fatal falls occurred from scaffolds (25%), followed by ladders (16%) and roofs (11%).

Other common causes of fatal unintentional injuries included being struck, crushed or caught between objects or equipment (32%)

Who is responsible for safety on New York construction sites?

According to section 200 of the general provisions of article 7 of the Labor section of New York Consolidated Laws, entitled General duty to protect health and safety of employees; enforcement: if a property owner decides to build a new structure or change an existing structure on their property, both the owner and the general contractor are legally obligated to “provide reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, health and safety of all persons employed therein or lawfully frequenting such places.”

Scaffolding Law

The most common cause of fatal and serious construction accidents are falls; most times scaffolding  and ladders around the structure are involved.  Section 240 of New York’s Labor Laws deals with scaffolding and other devices for use of employees and governs how scaffolding and other construction equipment should be constructed, placed, and operated.

Immigration Status Irrelevant

Many construction laborers are undocumented; that has absolutely no relevance with respect to an owner/general contractor’s obligation to provide a safe work site.  Immigration status is not a bar to bringing a successful lawsuit.

Who is entitled to file a construction accident personal injury lawsuit and receive compensation and damages?

Construction workers that are injured on the job have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party that caused their injury. In construction accident cases New York City personal injury lawyers of the Evan Goldberg Law will help victims prove the building owner’s or employer’s negligence. In case of a worker’s wrongful death in a construction accident the widow and orphans are able to file a wrongful death claim and get the compensation they are legally entitled to. A New York personal injury lawyer can help the family to find proof that the deceased’s fatal injury was caused by someone’s negligence or reckless behavior. 

Most common causes of worksite and construction accidents In New York (including Rockland County):

  • Lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) 
  • Liable products (for example helmets, ladders)
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Wet or icy surface 
  • Failure of management to create and clarify work procedures
  • Work at high elevation
  • Poor site management
  • Poor worker’s attitude towards safety
  • Lack of fall protection for workers on elevated structures
  • Lack of protection for people on the ground from falling objects (lack of hard hats)
  • Tripping hazards from construction materials and debris
  • Missing guards or protections on power tools
  • Inexperience
  • Burnouts
  • Fire burns

Working in unsafe conditions raises the risk of injury or death in the workplace up to 20%. The worker is at risk of being injured during and suffering from severe conditions and disabilities. 

Most common injuries caused by construction accidents: 

  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Skull fractures
  • Brain injuries
  • Coma
  • Internal bleeding
  • Bones fractures

How dangerous is construction work? In the decade from 2002 through 2012, 19.5 percent of all on-the-job fatalities in the United States – almost one in five – were in the construction industry. Thousands more construction workers are severely injured every year. Above 5% of construction accidents are fatal. In 2020, the industry sector experiencing the largest number of preventable fatal injuries was construction, followed by transportation and warehousing.

Common losses – financial and non-financial – after a personal injury construction accident in Spring Valley and New York – the Empire State:

  • Costs of treatment 
  • Loss of wages, loss of employment
  • Lifelong or temporary disabilities
  • Nursing at home
  • Hospital stays, surgeries
  • Mental health issues, fear, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD)

The victim of the NYC personal injury construction accidents can file a lawsuit to fight for their just compensation and to obtain damages from the party at fault. An attorney at Law from the law firm Evan Goldberg Law will show you all the legal options and will identify the best possible legal solution relevant to your case. Your personal injury lawyer will help with proving the party’s reckless or negligent actions, its consequences and extent of the impact on the injured person or the deceased worker and his or her family members. 

Contact a Spring Valley, NY Construction Accident Attorney

Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident at a construction site in New York? If so, please contact an experienced NYC construction accident attorney from Evan Goldberg Law. To schedule your free confidential consultation with a New York personal injury lawyer, please call us at 1 845-545-0448 or visit our contact page.