New York City Demolition Accident Lawyers

Leading New York City construction accident attorneys have recovered more than $800 Million in compensation for accident victims and families

Construction work is a regular part of the Big Apple but it is not without risk. According to the New York City Department of Buildings, there were 699 construction-related accidents in New York City during the first eleven months of 2018. The experienced demolition accident attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. in New York City have a demonstrated track record of securing the maximum compensation for those injured in demolition accidents.

Demolition safety standards

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration ( OSHA), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, establishes and enforces protective standards that are designed to assure the safety and health of America’s workers. OSHA provides education, training, and outreach to both employers and employees. While demolition work is inherently hazardous, the risks can be controlled and eliminated with appropriate planning, proper personal protective equipment, necessary training, and adherence to OSHA safety standards.

Demolition work is particularly hazardous

According to OSHA, demolition is defined as “the dismantling, razing, destroying or wrecking of any building or structure or any part thereof.” All construction work brings some level risk. However, demolition work is particularly hazardous due to the presence of unknown factors. Some of these additional hazards may include any of the following:

Structural design changes that are introduced during the construction process

Modifications to the original design, both approved and unapproved

Health risks of materials hidden within the structure, including asbestos, lead, silica, heavy metals and other chemicals

The uncertainty of the strength or weakness of construction materials

Hazards posed by the demolition methods employed at the site

OSHA recommends that to reduce the risks inherent in demolition work, all those at the demolition site should be informed of the hazards they may face and be instructed in the safety precautions they must adopt to protect both themselves and their employees.

Proper planning for demolition is critical

OSHA recommends that, prior to the start of any demolition, the individuals in charge of the demolition take measures to adequately prepare for the demolition work with consideration to the health and safety of all the workers on site. Proper planning of a demolition operation includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Planning the method(s) to be used for bringing down the structure

Selection of the equipment required to complete the demolition

Completion of an engineering survey by a qualified individual prior to demolition

Identifying, securing and – when necessary – relocating any nearby utilities

Review of safety precautions that must be taken to ensure the safety of workers

Development of a fire prevention and evacuation plan

Inspection of all available personal protective equipment (PPE) prior to commencing demolition

Selection of personal protective equipment appropriate for the task

Enforcement of recommended guidelines with regard to the use of safety equipment

Workers are protected under New York labor laws

New York labor laws were designed to protect workers from sustaining injuries at the workplace. These laws include the following provisions:

Labor Law Section 200 – owners and contractors must maintain safe work environments and implement safety procedures designed to protect workers from injury
Labor Law Section 240 – this provision is also known as the “Scaffold Law”, which protects workers if they have been struck by a falling object and sustained injury or if they were injured in a high fall
Labor Law Section 241 – established workplace safety precautions must be enforced, and specific safety equipment must be accessible at the work site to protect the safety of workers

Premier NYC injury firm obtains multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements

At Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C., our experienced NYC accident attorneys have a track record of success, successfully recovering several multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients. Some of those cases include:

$20,000,000 verdict for our client who suffered severe injuries while performing construction work. Inadequate shoring caused a hole to collapse on our client while he was working in an excavation trench. He sustained serious lacerations in addition to injuries to his back, neck, and shoulders. The skilled team at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. proved to a jury that our client’s employer was responsible for his injuries, resulting in an award of $20 million for his pain, suffering, medical expenses, and lost income.

$8,000,000 verdict for our client in a particularly interesting case. Our construction accident attorneys proved to a jury that the lumbar disc herniation our client suffered, as well as the related surgeries, were due to a defective scaffolding fall he sustained three years earlier. The jury awarded our client more than $6 million which, when combined with legal interest, amounts to a total of over $8 million recovered by the Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. law firm.

$4.5 million settlement for our client who suffered a 15-foot fall when the ladder he was standing on slipped out during construction work. Our client suffered multiple injuries to his heels and underwent surgery to both legs. The construction accident attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. secured a $4.5 million settlement for our client.

We hold responsible parties accountable

Demolition accidents often result in serious injuries, bringing not only pain and suffering to the victim, but also the financial burden of medical expenses and lost wages due to time away from work. At Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. in New York City, our dedicated NYC demolition accident attorneys believe that when there is an accident, the responsible party should be held accountable. To that end, we fight relentlessly on behalf of our clients to secure the compensation they rightly deserve for their injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a demolition accident, contact a member of our team today at 917-893-3514 or 917-268-6710 or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case. Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win.