New York Construction Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one were seriously injured on a job site, contact our experienced New York construction accident lawyer to fight and help you win the maximum benefits available. Contact us today for a free confidential consultation. Working at or visiting a construction site in New York can be dangerous. Despite the inherent risks created by the environment, you still have a right to safety and legal remedies in the event that you’re hurt because of the negligence of another person, contractor, sub-contractor, or business. If you were hurt in a construction accident, contact a New York construction accident lawyer to learn about your rights and discuss your potential legal claim.
Personal Injury or Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Depending on why you were on the construction site and your relationship to the contractor or sub-contractor associated with the project, your injury could be treated as a personal injury claim or a workers’ compensation claim. However, in many instances, workers’ compensation does not provide adequate help for construction workers who are hurt on the job site.
Read Our FREE Construction Accident Guide Contractors Must Provide Proper Protection and Safety Equipment for Workers.
Under Labor Law 240(1), contractors and their agents must provide certain things to workers who participate in erection, demolition, repairing, altering, painting, and even cleaning a building or other structure if they use ropes, irons, braces, pulleys, blocks, slings, ladders, hangers, hoists, scaffolds, or similar devices. Gravity related accidents, meaning a worker falls from a height or an object falls and hits the worker, are one of the most common types of construction accidents in New York. They can cause serious injury and death.
New York Construction Accident Lawyers Help Victims Sue the Right People
Construction accidents can be complicated. A business or person wants to build, renovate, demolish, or even add-on to a building or structure. They may hire a general contractor. The general contractor may have employees or they may hire sub-contractors who are contracted to complete certain aspects of the job. The sub-contractors may have their own employees or contract workers who help them on a project-by-project basis. Then, there are companies and individuals who deliver materials, heavy machinery operators, and others who come and go on the site. So, knowing exactly who may be responsible for what happened to you isn’t easy. In fact, it can be down right complicated. That’s where the help of a New York construction accident lawyer is invaluable. Under the law, construction accidents rely on a concept known as liability. While there are special laws that help protect construction workers who are hurt, it can still be quite complicated to untangle who is responsible for what happened to you.
What about Insurance?
A New York construction accident lawyer can help victims and their families figure out who is responsible. This is important because existing insurance companies should be notified of a claim. Yet, even insurance companies don’t always treat victims and their families in a way that’s fair. A lawyer can help ensure that you’re getting the financial compensation you deserve for your injuries. Insurance companies often pressure accident victims to settle. Be careful and make sure that you talk to a lawyer before you sign anything. Once you sign a settlement agreement, you’re no longer allowed to pursue any sort of compensation for your injuries. So, if you need future medical care or nursing care because of your injuries, you wouldn’t be able to get additional money and you’d also lose your right to sue.
What Sort of Compensation Is Available for Construction Accident Victims in New York?
All construction accidents are different. Even accidents that seem similar in nature can include facts that can change what sort of compensation the victim may receive. The most common types of compensation include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Medical bills associated with the injury
- Future medical costs associated with the injury
- Lost wages
- Permanent disability
- Final expenses
- Punitive damages
Punitive damages are generally awarded only in cases that have extreme injuries.
Common Construction Accidents
In New York, the most common construction accidents are:
- Falling from a scaffold, roof, or ladder
- Failing equipment, including cranes
- Injuries that crush limbs
- Elevator shaft accidents
- Openings without warning signs
- Falling objects
- Injuries caused by a trench collapse
- Excavation injuries
- Falling through a construction floor
- Accidents in highway or street work zones
- Violations of state safety regulations
- Burns
- Electrocution
- Exposure to toxic materials or substances
Were You Hurt in a Construction Accident?
If you or someone you love was hurt in a construction accident, you may have a legal claim for financial compensation. Contact a New York construction accident to discuss the facts surrounding the accident. They can help you deal with the responsible parties and the insurance companies so that you can focus on your recovery.
Read Our FREE Construction Accident Guide