New York City Ladder Accident Lawyers

Whether it’s a new building going up in Crown Heights or the renovation of an office space in Manhattan, New York City is always buzzing with construction projects.

Construction and renovation work involves workers climbing and working on ladders and scaffolding, which can lead to serious accidents if the equipment those workers are provided is not safe or if the owners or contractors aren’t following New York’s safety laws and rules. In one study from the City Department of Health, 58% of fatal accidents were caused by falls, with 25% from ladders and 11% from scaffolds.

At the Lipsig firm, we’re always working hard to prevent these accidents from occurring by pushing to make safety during ladder and scaffold use standard practice in our City and state. Our dedicated team of New York City ladder accident lawyers always goes the extra mile for our clients — immediately investigating construction accident worksites, visiting injured workers in the hospital, and interviewing witnesses for the site. We fight for our clients to ensure that building owners, general contractors, and subcontractors are all held fully responsible for their negligence and their violation of NY’s Labor Law.

In fact, some of our biggest verdicts and settlements are from our client’s injuries in construction-related injuries. One of Lipsig’s legal victories arose when a construction worker fell from a defective scaffold in nearby Suffolk County. Using testimony from four different specialists, our trial attorney proved to the jury how the client’s injuries required surgery more than three years later. We were able to recover more than $8 million for our client in this case.

Another major Lipsig legal victory occurred when our client fell from a four-foot Baker scaffold that tipped over when a defective wheel fell off. After our client needed surgery and suffered lost income and medical bills, we were able to prove to a jury in Brooklyn that his injuries totaled over $6.8 million. We defeated an appeal by the defendant’s insurance company and were able to settle his case for $7.25 million.

Just a few of our other verdicts and settlements for our construction worker clients include:

$6,700,000 for a client who fell while working on scaffolding. We proved that the working conditions were unsafe and defective equipment was used at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
$4,750,000 for a client seriously hurt when an A-frame ladder fell over during an office renovation in Manhattan.
$3,000,000 for a roofer who fell from an unsafe ladder and broke his leg, which required several surgeries to fix.
$3,000,000 for a laborer who fell from an unsecured ladder and suffered multiple fractures to his foot.
$2,600,000 for a client who fell through a defective outdoor scaffold on a major renovation project. Our attorneys were able to get the money he deserved to pay for his severe knee and back injuries.

Types of Ladder Accident Cases

New York is a city of many tall buildings and very high ceilings. It’s common for workers to use ladders when doing renovation or construction jobs. Painting, masonry, electrical, demolition, and roofing work often require climbing up on a ladder or scaffold. Common types of construction ladders and scaffolds include:

Step (or A-frame) ladders
Extension ladders
Multi-position ladders
Scaffolding ladder
Single scaffolding
Double scaffolding
Cantilever scaffolding
Baker (or trestle) scaffold

Building owners, general contractors, and subcontractors are all responsible for making sure this equipment is safe under New York law. Our team of ladder accident attorneys has a deep understanding of the different types of construction and renovation work that require a ladder or scaffold and the safety laws and rules that govern their use.

We also understand the many other common types of accidents that can cause serious personal injuries, such as accidents caused by uneven surfaces or defective power tools and equipment. These accidents can lead to broken bones, deep cuts, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and even death.

If you have suffered a fall on the job, the seriousness of any injuries might not become obvious until years later. You need a lawyer who will think both in the short and long term to protect you and your family’s economic interests.

Who Is Liable in a Ladder Accident Case?

When it comes to determining who is legally liable in a ladder accident case, the Lipsig Law Firm is highly experienced and knowledgeable about New York State’s Labor Laws that can help our injured clients. Under New York’s Labor Law 240, owners and general contractors must provide protection to construction workers who are doing their jobs while working at heights.

Labor Law 240 requires that if you are doing your job and fall from an unsecured or unsafe ladder or scaffold, both the building owner and the general contractor are liable and must pay for your injuries and losses. This Labor Law, which Lipsig lawyers use to help clients and to make construction work sites safer, covers other types of height-related accidents, including when falling objects at the work site cause injuries to workers.

NY Labor Law 241(6) is another law that Lipsig uses to protect our construction worker clients. The New York Industrial Code states the specific requirements for the safe use of ladders and scaffolds and other safety requirements on construction and demolition sites. This law has specific directions for extension ladders, A-frame ladders, and scaffolds that are used on both large-scale new construction and renovation projects.

If you are hurt by a fall due to a defective ladder, New York Labor Law 241(6), in addition to Labor Law 240, permits the Lipsig lawyers to work for you in court against building owners, contractors, and others whose negligence in violating the safety rules caused personal injury and damages. New York Labor Law 200, although fairly general, requires site owners, general contractors, and subcontractors to provide reasonably safe construction or renovation sites.

There are federal standards for safe ladder use in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. For example, if a contractor does not provide you with the right size or height ladder, there can be an OSHA violation that Lipsig lawyers can use to help prove liability.

At The Lipsig Firm, our team of New York City ladder accident attorneys understands how to prove legal responsibility and hold defendant companies responsible for their negligence, and get you the money damages needed due to your injuries. We also understand that in these cases time is of the essence. To best preserve evidence to help our clients, we will immediately go to your home or hospital to meet with you. We actively investigate what happened at your job site. We talk to your co-workers to get the full story of how the defendants violated safety rules at the construction site. Our work at the Lipsig law firm is extremely important to help us to obtain the money that you’ll need for medical bills, your lost wages, and your pain and suffering.

Our Team of New York City Ladder Accident Lawyers Can Get You the Money You Need

We have helped many of our clients get millions of dollars after being hurt by a fall from a ladder or scaffold. This passion for fighting for our clients comes straight from our law firm’s founder Harry H. Lipsig, who was once called “the toughest, most successful personal injury specialist in the country” by New York Magazine.

Today, construction accidents are a major practice area for our firm. Our attorneys understand how dangerous construction and renovation work is, especially when it’s happening using ladders and scaffolding. We understand that people often get hurt despite doing all the right things.

We also understand that workers’ compensation insurance often isn’t enough to compensate you for serious injuries and damages. If you are hurt, you may have a valid claim against a third party that is outside the workers’ comp system. We’ll fight to hold those responsible accountable.

Speaking with an experienced lawyer from The Lipsig Firm is free, and there’s no obligation to you — just proven legal guidance and a compassionate ear. Call 212-285-3300 or fill out our contact form, and we’ll begin reviewing your legal options today.