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Decades of Legal Advocacy for Injured Workers
You know how demanding and dangerous your work as a New York construction worker can be. You constantly use or are surrounded by heavy machinery, do your job in unforgiving and hazardous environments, and work at great heights.
While you can protect yourself from injuries by staying vigilant, other people around you, whether a coworker or your boss, may fail to do the same. A construction accident can drastically change the course of your life in a second, leaving you injured, terrified, uncertain of your future, and unsure where to get the help you need to get by.
The skilled and compassionate New York construction accident lawyers at Lipsig Law have personally witnessed the devastating, life-altering consequences of various construction accidents. But you don’t need to handle the burden on your own. Let our lawyers get you the financial compensation you undoubtedly deserve.
Attorneys at Lipsig Law have successfully recovered more than $800 million in compensation for injured victims, boasting some of the largest verdicts and settlements in New York City history. Our outstanding case results for a New York City client who was struck by a bus and received a $20 million verdict were recognized in the New York Law Journal Verdicts & Settlements Hall of Fame as the 5th-largest win to date.
We are aggressive litigators and are committed to securing the best possible results for clients. We have a long history of winning, and have also been awarded two placements in New York’s Top Verdicts of 2017.
With a reputation for excellence throughout all five boroughs, our team of top trial lawyers and prominent New York litigators brings more than 80 combined years of experience to every case, fighting aggressively on behalf of injured workers and the families who have been devastated by the unnecessary loss of their loved one in a construction accident due to the negligence of another party. We recover the maximum compensation available under New York state law for your claim.
Rebuild Your Future with Lipsig Law
Whether your construction accident involved a dangerous ladder or scaffold, insufficient fall protection, hazardous equipment or chemicals, or improper training, among others, it’s in your best interest to discuss your case with a New York construction accident lawyer right from the start to obtain proper legal representation.
Yes, you will most likely recover some compensation from your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. But in most cases, construction accidents involve third parties that require thorough investigation to pursue a personal injury claim that will completely cover your injuries, lost income, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, among others.
If our lawyers determine that you have a valid claim outside of the workers’ comp insurance system, the general contractor, property owner, or product or equipment manufacturer, among other third parties, may be held responsible for your damages. In this case, these third parties’ insurance providers will be liable for compensating your losses. Without the guidance of a New York construction accident attorney, these insurance providers will surely take advantage of your situation.
Insurance providers are first and foremost for-profit businesses, and they are not above using underhanded tricks to protect their profits, including rejecting valid claims or devaluing them. They will also try to get you to settle your claim for an amount that is significantly lower than the real value of your claim. Your lawyer can prevent insurers from implementing these tactics and build a solid claim for your damages by:
- Investigating the circumstances that led to the construction accident
- Looking for any indication of employer (or other third parties) negligence
- Collecting the necessary evidence and working with relevant experts to figure out the fault of the accident and liability for your losses
- Calculating the full value of your claim
- Pursuing maximum compensation for your damages, whether through a settlement or in a trial
If you were hurt or a loved one died in a construction accident, you have the right to receive proper compensation to help rebuild your life. Although money can’t bring back what you lost in the construction accident, it can ease the financial burden you’re facing.
The New York construction accident lawyers of Lipsig, Shapey, Moverman, Freund & Wisell, PLLC, have ample experience fighting for injured clients, and we can assure you that we will do our best to secure the compensation you rightfully deserve.
Getting Compensation After a Construction Accident
At Lipsig Law, we get results. Personal injury and construction accident law is our firm’s primary focus, and we fight to secure justice and maximum compensation for our clients. Our construction accident attorneys have successfully obtained several multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients who suffered construction-related injuries, including:
- $20 Million Verdict – We helped obtain a $20 million verdict for our client, a NYC construction worker, who was injured while working in an excavation trench in the Bronx. When a hole collapsed on him due to inadequate shoring, the power saw he was using caused severe lacerations to his face and chest, as well as back, neck, and shoulder injuries. Our construction accident attorneys proved that his employer was legally responsible for the injuries, and the jury awarded our client $20 million for pain and suffering, lost earnings, and medical expenses.
- $8 million verdict – We proved to a jury that our client’s lumbar disc herniation and required surgeries were the result of a defective scaffolding fall our client experienced three years earlier. The jury awarded a verdict of more than $6,000,000, and with legal interest added, the total amount recovered by our firm will exceed $8,000,000.
- $2.6 million – Our attorneys recovered $2.6 million for our client when he fell through a defective outdoor scaffold on a roof renovation project and sustained severe knee and back injuries.
Types of Construction Accidents Leading to a Claim
Construction is the very lifeblood of New York City. Still, construction work is hazardous, whether it involves working on scaffolding several stories high or in trenches several feet below ground. Heavy, powerful machinery and equipment frequently used in construction work pose a serious risk of injury. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the Department of Labor, has safety standards in place for construction work, construction accident injuries are on the rise. Types of construction-related accidents include:
Ladder falls – Ladders, scaffolds, and joists: equipment that allows workers to reach heights is critical to completing a construction project. It’s also inherently dangerous; it only takes an unstable surface or a falling object to cause a fall from a ladder. Even a fall of a few feet can cause injuries that require long-term, extensive, costly medical care. For construction workers, the unexpected medical expenses and time off work can be devastating.
OSHA has outlined rigorous protocols to protect the lives and livelihoods of workers who scale structures. However, falls from ladders, scaffolding, and other construction structures and equipment are still incredibly common; they’re the leading cause of death in the construction industry, which is why our NYC construction accident attorneys will not rest until we obtain the compensation for our clients deserve after a serious fall. A few of the ladder fall accident cases we have won include:
- $4.5 million settlement – obtained a $4.5 million settlement for our client. This construction worker fell 15 feet when a ladder slipped out during construction work, causing injuries to both of his heels and necessitating surgery to both lower legs.
- $3 million – Our team successfully recovered $3 million for our client, a roofer, who sustained a ladder fall and fractured his left leg, requiring four surgeries.
- $3 million – When our client, a laborer, fell from an unsecured ladder, he suffered multiple fracture dislocations to his foot and required three separate surgeries. Our construction accident attorneys recovered $3 million for him, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Scaffolding falls – When it comes to construction, scaffolding is a critical piece of equipment. More than 65% of construction workers use scaffolding regularly, and in New York City, that number may be higher, as the number of construction sites is higher than in other parts of the U.S. The frightening truth is that hundreds of thousands of workers are injured in scaffolding accidents each year, many right here in New York City and surrounding boroughs.
According to New York state law, it doesn’t matter whether your employer was actively negligent in causing your fall. It doesn’t matter whether you were partially responsible for the accident. And, it doesn’t matter how much control your employer had over the unsafe equipment. If your employer failed to provide the “proper protection” and the scaffolding injured you, they can be held legally responsible in a civil lawsuit. At Lipsig Law, we fight for maximum compensation for injured workers, and our results speak for themselves, including:
- $2.8 Million – Verdict won after a construction worker fractured ribs and injured his spine due to a defect in scaffolding, which caused him to fall.
- $1.75 Million – Verdict won for a man who suffered from back injuries, a fractured pelvis, and brain trauma from a scaffolding fall.
Electrocution – Electrocution is the third most common construction accident according to OSHA, accounting for almost 10% of all worker fatalities. Electric shocks can be catastrophic, resulting in severe burns or nerve damage, leading to permanent disability or death. More often than not, it is the property owner’s negligence that led to the hazard in the first place. Owners of commercial and residential property have a simple responsibility to workers – maintain safe electrical systems at all times.
Many property owners do not take their responsibilities seriously. Our NYC construction accident lawyers take every accident and every negligent action seriously. They are dedicated to protecting the rights and financial future of those injured by electrocution or other construction accidents.
Crane accidents – Cranes, hoists, and derricks are critical to most major NYC construction projects. But such large, powerful machines are inherently dangerous. With a poorly trained operator at the controls, these massive tools can become deadly, unwieldy weapons. If cranes are not adequately maintained or were defectively designed from the start, they can prematurely release their loads. Workers have been crushed by falling objects, suffering severe head trauma and permanent disability.
Building or roof collapse – When a building or roof collapses due to foreseeable human error, and workers are injured, the structure’s designers or contractors may be legally liable for the accident due to negligence, inadequate or improper materials, or shoddy construction.
Falling debris – Over 10% of all worker deaths and 37% of the injuries that require hospitalization are directly caused by falling objects. Injured workers often suffer debilitating head trauma, which can lead to lifelong complications like Traumatic Brain Injury, and the risk of back and neck injury is high.
Forklift accidents – Tens of thousands of injuries are caused by defective or improperly operated forklifts every year. Much like car crashes, many forklift-related accidents are caused by operator fatigue. In this case, employers may be legally responsible for forcing workers to labor on unreasonable schedules. According to federal law, forklift operators must be trained and certified to operate forklifts. In addition, forklifts must be operated only by persons aged 18 or older. If an uncertified operator causes personal injury, their employer may be legally responsible.
If you or someone you love has suffered a construction-related injury – whether minor or severe – contact us today for a free case review – you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Workers’ Comp vs. Personal Injury Claims
All states require some form of workers’ compensation that provides compensation to workers who are injured on the job, regardless of who is at fault for the workplace accident. However, the compensation that can be recovered under workers’ compensation is usually less than what a worker can recover in a personal injury lawsuit. And not all workers’ compensation laws apply to every lawsuit filed by an injured worker. Personal injury lawsuits offer the potential for higher damage awards.
Suing After a Construction Accident
Personal injury lawsuits revolve around negligence. And when the laws in place to protect construction workers from workplace injuries are not enforced and a worker suffers injury or fatality, our firm believes the negligent party should be held accountable. Under Sections 200, 240, and 241 (6) of New York State Labor Laws, an injured worker may have a claim against a general contractor or owner, depending upon the type of construction accident:
- Section 200 requires owners and contractors to take measures to provide safe workplaces and protect workers
- Section 240, which is also known as the “scaffold law”, protects the rights of workers if they have been struck by a falling object or are injured in a high fall
- Section 241 specifies safety measures that must be carried out and safety equipment that must be provided at a work site
Compensation for Medical Bills
We fight for New York City workers who have suffered injury in construction accidents. Instead of simply accepting whatever workers’ compensation you may be offered, contact one of our experienced construction accident attorneys to explore your options and discuss the compensation you may recover under personal injury law. Medical bills, surgeries, lost work time, and pain and suffering are significant losses, and we believe that the negligent parties should pay.
Our team works on a contingency basis, so you do not pay anything until we successfully recover compensation for your injuries. Contact a member of our team today to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your construction-related injury. We can be reached at 212-285-3300 or contact us online. We have two very convenient locations to serve you at 40 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038 (Main) and our Brooklyn Office at 823 56th St., 6th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220.
September 7, 2018 – Five Construction Workers Injured In Ceiling Collapse
On a construction site located at East 38th Street, an accident occurred, resulting in five construction workers being injured. According to a DOB inspector, interior demolition work was underway on the fourth floor of a building when the wood-and-plaster ceiling collapsed on the workers. Two of the workers were in serious condition and taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. A violation and a complete stop-work order were issued.
August 8, 2018 – Construction Accident Inside 3 World Trade Center Leaves One Man Injured
On Thursday, August 2, an accident occurred inside 3 World Trade Center. Medics arrived around 2:30 pm to treat a construction worker who had injured his leg while dismantling a wall of sheetrock and plywood. The injured worker was taken to Bellevue Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the accident is under investigation by the Department of Buildings and the FDNY.
July 18, 2018 – Construction Worker Killed In Manhattan Construction Accident
The NYC Department of Buildings shut down a construction site in Upper Manhattan after a fatal construction accident Thursday, July 12. A 28-year-old male worker was struck in the head by a piece of scaffolding. A piece of scaffolding came loose and fell 12 stories before fatally striking the man. He was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Department of Buildings issued a violation and a complete stop-work order for the site. They are currently investigating the circumstances of the accident.
June 19, 2018 – Security Guard Killed, Construction Worker Injured In Manhattan
The New York City Department of Buildings issued a stop work order at a Manhattan construction site after a glass panel fell, injuring a construction worker and killing a security guard working at the site. A violation was also issued for failure to safeguard the site.
An 8-foot-by-14-foot glass panel tipped over while it was being moved, crushing the security guard and hospitalizing the construction worker with non-life-threatening injuries.
May 21, 2018 – Binghamton Construction Company Owner Killed In Work Accident
A construction worker who operated a construction business out of his home was killed in a work accident there on Tuesday, May 8. The accident happened at around 9:40 a.m. at the man’s home and place of business. The man was attempting to load a skid-steer onto a trailer when something happened, leaving him caught between the two pieces of machinery. The exact cause of the accident is not known at this time.
April 16, 2018 – 3 People Injured When Scaffolding Collapses In Brooklyn
One construction worker and two civilian passersby were injured when a 20-foot piece of scaffolding fell onto a sidewalk in Brooklyn on Saturday, April 14. Construction crews were dismantling the scaffolding when a section collapsed on Joralemon Street. A crew supervisor suffered a serious arm injury, while the section struck two pedestrians. They are expected to recover from their injuries.
The NYC Department of Buildings cited New Force Construction for failing to safeguard persons and property during a construction operation. This violation carries a $25,000 fine. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
March 21, 2018 – Construction Worker Killed In Queens Forklift Accident
A 34-year-old construction worker from the Bronx was killed in a forklift accident at a job site in Queens on Tuesday, March 13. The accident occurred at the site on 89th Avenue near 150th Street at around 11 am. The worker was riding on top of the forklift when the operator put the machinery in reverse, causing the 34-year-old to fatally strike his head on a beam near a low part of the ceiling. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The construction site had five open Environmental Control Board violations, including one issued in 2017 for working without a permit. There were also multiple active stop-work orders at the site. The Department of Buildings issued a violation for failure to safeguard a construction site.
February 16, 2018 – New Jersey Construction Worker Injured In 20-Foot Fall
A 37-year-old construction worker was injured after falling 20 feet through a hole in the floor at his job site in Hackensack, New Jersey on February 9, 2018. The accident happened at The Shops at Riverdale. The worker allegedly fell through the hole while walking and suffered injuries to his ankles and back. His injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.