New York Construction Accident Lawyers

Several of the attorneys who work at Stanley Law Offices have a background in insurance and therefore understand the claims process from both sides of the table. We work hard to negotiate settlements with insurance companies but aren’t afraid to fight for your claim in court if needed.

If you or someone you love was injured in a construction accident in New York, you and your family may only have a limited time to make a claim under the law. For example, you and your family might have the right to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and other losses. The New York construction accident lawyers at Stanley Law Offices understand the unique challenges that families face after a serious injury. You don’t have to navigate the claims process or disability process alone. Reach out to the construction accident lawyers in New York at Stanley Law Offices today.

Important Information for Construction Accident Victims and Their Families

The New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) recently released a report on construction accident fatalities and dangers. According to the NYCOSH report, the construction industry is one of the most dangerous and deadly industries in the nation. Construction accident fatalities account for 19% of all workplace-related fatalities despite construction workers only making up 4% of the total workforce. According to the NYCOSH report:

• New York State sees more construction accident fatalities than the national average.
• Non-unionized workers may be more at risk than union workers. According to NYCOSH, 79% of workers killed on construction accident jobs were non-union workers.
• The number of inspections being performed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is going down, meaning there is less oversight.
• Contractor violations of OSHA rules can increase the risk of construction accident fatalities. OSHA violations were found in 97% of the cases where construction workers died on the job.
• Latino and immigrant workers are more at risk of dying in construction accidents. These workers may be more frightened to report workplace violations or to seek workers’ compensation out of fear of deportation or retaliation.
• The public may not be as aware of violations on job sites because OSHA is releasing fewer press releases informing the public about the most serious construction accident violations.

According to NYCOSH, 362,200 people work in the construction industry in New York State. Between 2011 and 2020, 351 workers died in construction accidents. While the number of deadly construction accident injuries decreased in 2020, the report writers indicate that these lower numbers for recently reported years may be due to COVID-19 lockdowns and pandemic-related disruptions. These numbers don’t begin to account for the many more workers who were seriously injured or disabled in a construction accident during the reporting period.

If you or someone you love died in a construction accident, or was seriously injured, you and your family might have the right to seek compensation through workers’ compensation claims, or through a lawsuit if serious construction site violations were involved. Contractors and employers have a responsibility to protect their employees and are required to comply with OSHA safety standards and laws. When companies cut corners and fail to train their workers, fail to enforce safety violations, and fail to create cultures of safety, workers can get seriously hurt or killed. According to NYCOSH, unionized construction sites are more likely to have cultures of safety in place to protect workers.

NYCOSH has made several recommendations to New York State officials to make construction sites safer. These recommendations include:

• New York State currently doesn’t require training and on-the-job learning opportunities like those required in New York City. NYCOSH recommends that all New York State construction companies be required to provide their workers with rigorous on-the-job safety training.
• Increased Penalties. Criminal contractors who do not take workers’ safety seriously have been able to evade serious penalties by using corporate structures to protect themselves from serious fines and accountability. NYCOSH recommends that egregiously negligent contractors be held criminally liable for their actions. This includes giving the state the ability to revoke licenses when contractors fail to take workers’ safety seriously. Individuals can also hold liable contractors responsible when they fail to take steps to protect worker safety.
• Protect Vulnerable Workers. NYCOSH also calls upon New York State to take proactive action to protect Latino and immigrant workers.

If you’ve been seriously injured in a construction accident, or if a loved one passed away in a construction accident, you have rights. Both victims and family members can make workers’ compensation claims that may be able to cover their medical bills, rehabilitation costs, burial and funeral expenses, disability payments, and more. New York State’s Scaffold Safety Law also gives construction workers and their families the right to sue an employer or building owner if they are injured in a construction accident fall. If you or someone you love was hurt in a construction accident in New York, you have rights. But you may only have a limited time to assert those rights. Reach out to the New York construction accident lawyers at Stanley Law Offices today to learn more about your options and rights under the law. Every construction accident case is unique. Our New York construction accident lawyers can review your case and help you explore the next steps.

New York Ladder Fall Accident Lawyers

According to the New York State Department of Health, over 200 construction workers die on the job every year, and over 10,000 workers get seriously injured in falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury and death at construction sites. Many workplace injuries could have been prevented had employers implemented and required OSHA standards and requirements. According to the New York State Department of Health, employers are required to under OSHA regulation to provide fall arrest systems to roofers and others working at heights. Personal fall systems include full-body harnesses and anchors designed to limit the distance a worker falls. Employers are required to train workers in the proper use of these systems.

You might think that you need to fall from a great height to die from a ladder, fall, but the reality is that even short-distance falls can result in deadly injuries. According to the New York State Department of Health, 18% of deadly falls happen when a person falls from a height of 10 feet or less. 34% of deadly falls involved heights of 10-15 feet. Even short-distance falls can result in serious injuries, especially when individuals hit their heads during a fall.

Many ladder fall deaths and roofing deaths could have been prevented had workers used personal fall arrest systems, or used personal fall arrest systems properly. Small mistakes like failing to tie off a body harness or thinking that a given height is “not high enough” to warrant a harness can result in deadly injuries when a person loses his or her footing. Employers and workers should also inspect their gear and equipment for wear and tear, be aware of slippery or dangerous work conditions due to weather or wind, and take steps to keep the workplace neat and orderly to prevent slips, trips, and falls.

New York law requires that ladders used in construction sites not be broken and be in proper working order. It may seem like common sense, but sometimes construction employers or contractors let their workers use broken or defective ladders. When construction companies or contractors cut corners by not repairing or updating their safety equipment, accidents can happen.

When workplaces, roofing companies, construction site employers, and contractors cut corners, the victims are often the workers who end up injured or killed in accidents. If you or someone you love suffered a serious ladder fall injury, the New York ladder fall attorneys at Stanley Law Offices may be able to help. Our ladder falls injury lawyers in New York understand safety laws and workplace requirements and can investigate your case to see if your loved one’s employer cut corners. You may only have a limited time to make a claim under the law or pursue a lawsuit against a negligent contractor or employer. Reach out to the New York ladder fall attorneys at Stanley Law Offices today.

New York Scaffolding Accident Lawyers

The New York scaffolding accident lawyers at Stanley Law Offices can review the details of your scaffolding accident to see if your employer or contractor violated labor laws. For example, under Chapter 31, Article 10, Section 240 of New York State labor law, scaffolds, ladders, hoists, slings, pulleys, braces, and ropes, used in the construction, demolition, painting, altering, cleaning, or repairing of a building, must be used in a manner that provides proper protection to a worker. Furthermore, if a scaffold is over twenty feet from the ground, it must have a safety rail to protect workers. Safety rails must also be properly secured to prevent the rail from swaying. Scaffolding material must be constructed to be able to bear at least four times the maximum weight required to perform the job.

If your loved one was hurt in a scaffolding accident, a scaffolding accident lawyer in New York can investigate the construction site or review investigations performed to see whether New York labor laws or safety laws were violated on the site. Many construction accidents, including scaffolding accidents, happen when contractors or employers cut corners and fail to keep workers safe. If you or someone you love was hurt in a scaffolding accident, contact the New York scaffolding accident lawyers at Stanley Law Offices today. Our scaffolding accident attorneys are here to help you.

Crane Accident Lawyers in New York

Crane accident deaths can differ from ladder accidents and scaffolding accidents in that workers injured or killed in crane accidents are more likely to be injured or killed because they got struck by a falling object. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, three-fifths of fatal injuries related to cranes occurred because a worker was struck by a falling object. A smaller percentage of crane accident injuries involve worker falls. 42% of crane accidents involved construction workers. Many of the workers injured in crane accidents were operating the crane when the accident took place.

New York’s Code Rule 23 governs crane safety. This law requires that cranes used in construction be stable and that cranes not be stressed beyond their capacities. Cranes must also be regularly inspected at least once a month for safety, and written records of these inspections must be maintained. The law also offers provisions for helping to prevent accidents that can result in falling loads. This includes checking that the hoisting rope is free of kinks, making sure lines aren’t twisted, ensuring that the load won’t swing when it is hoisted (by bringing the hook directly over the load), ensuring that the load is properly secured and balanced, and making sure that the load won’t accelerate or decelerate unexpectedly. The law also places restrictions on mobile cranes. The law also governs rules regarding the maintenance of crane parts and load-bearing requirements for these parts.

If you or someone you love was injured in a crane accident, the New York crane accident attorneys at Stanley Law Offices may be able to help you. We can review worksite inspections and reports and can conduct our own investigations to see if corners were cut. If you or someone you love was hurt in a crane accident due to the negligence or neglect of a contractor or employer, you may have rights. Reach out to the crane accident attorneys in New York at Stanley Law Offices today.

Contact Our New York Construction Accident Lawyers

The New York construction accident lawyers at Stanley Law Offices can review your claim, help you appeal a denied or delayed workers’ compensation claim, or help you and your family pursue a lawsuit against a negligent employer or contractor. You may only have a limited time under the law to pursue a claim. Reach out to the New York construction accident attorneys at Stanley Law Offices today to learn more and take the next steps.