New York Fire and Explosions Attorneys

Renowned New York City litigators successfully secure maximum compensation for burn victims

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, fires and explosions accounted for 123 workplace fatalities in 2017. Laws are in place to protect construction workers and ensure their safety. But when those laws fail and workers are injured in fires and explosions, the responsible entity must pay. The renowned fire and explosion attorneys at New York’s Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. have more than 80 years of combined experience successfully securing maximum compensation for those suffering injuries in construction accidents. Our New York accident lawyers have secured more than $800 million in compensation for injured accident victims and families. Trust our attorneys to help you if you or someone you love has been injured.

OSHA fire safety standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the United States Department of Labor, has responsibility for establishing safety standards, including those for fire safety. According to OSHA, employers have a responsibility to develop and implement a written fire safety plan. This fire safety plan should address all of the actions that employers and employees must take to ensure employee safety in the event of a fire. This includes the following elements:

• Identifying significant fire hazards
• Establishing the process for recognizing and reporting any unsafe workplace conditions
• Procedures for notifying employees of a fire emergency
• Alarm procedures
• Steps for notifying fire response organizations in the event of a fire emergency
• Evacuation procedures
• Method to account for all employees after an evacuation
• Contact information – names, job titles, departments – of individuals who can be reached for additional information regarding the fire safety plan
• Safety guidelines established by OSHA are recognized as the industry standard for safety. When standards are not enforced or published on site, this can be seen as negligent behavior and be used as the basis for a personal injury claim.

New York Labor Laws

New York labor laws were enacted to provide safe workplaces for workers, to protect them from sustaining injury in the course of performing job responsibilities. These labor laws include the following provisions:

• Labor Law Section 200 provides that both owners and contractors have a duty to adopt measures that ensure safe work environments and protect workers from injury
• Labor Law Section 240 is commonly known as the “scaffold law”. This provision is designed to protect the rights of workers if they have suffered injury in a high fall or if they sustained injury when struck by a falling object
• Labor Law Section 241 provides that specified safety precautions must be adhered to and certain safety equipment provided at work sites

Our legal team protects the rights of injured victims

The dedicated legal team at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. protects the rights of injured victims. When there has been a fire or explosion which results in injury or death, the injured party is particularly vulnerable. Insurance companies know this and may reach out to the victim to discuss the fire or explosion, your injuries, the circumstances surrounding the incident, or other details. It is best to refrain from discussing anything about the accident with anyone other than a qualified fire and explosion attorney. Insurance companies are acting in their best interests, not yours, and may take advantage of your situation, offering you compensation that may sound appealing at the time but is significantly less than what you rightfully deserve. Our legal team advocates on behalf of those injured in fires and explosions, successfully securing the maximum compensation allowed under the law.

Personal injury law protects those injured due to negligence

Accidents occur every day and, in many situations, no one is to blame. But when workplace accidents occur due to another entity’s negligent behavior, and someone is injured, personal injury law provides protection. Personal injury law requires that the legal definition of negligence be met in order to file a personal injury claim . An individual or entity must have behaved recklessly or carelessly – such as in not following prescribed safety standards or violating New York labor laws – and this behavior must have contributed to the accident. Compensatory damages in personal injury claims include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and lost vacation or sick time.

Our accident attorneys have secured more than $800 million in verdicts and settlements

Our knowledgeable accident attorneys share more than 80 years of combined experience advocating on behalf of injured victims. Our team has a demonstrated track record of success in securing multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. The following is a sampling of some of our construction accident cases:

• $20 million verdict for our client, a construction worker, who sustained severe injuries while working in an excavation trench. Inadequate shoring caused the hole to collapse on top of him and he sustained serious lacerations in addition to injury to his neck, back, and shoulders. Our skilled team proved to a jury that our client’s employer was legally responsible for the injuries and the jury awarded $20 million to our client for his medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
• $8 million verdict for our client in a particularly challenging personal injury case. Our client suffered a lumbar disc herniation and underwent several surgeries. Our accident attorneys proved to a jury that these injuries were due to a workplace accident he sustained three years earlier, when he fell off defective scaffolding. The jury awarded our client more than $6 million in compensatory damages. When legal interest is added to this amount, the total amount recovered by our firm will be over $8 million.
• $4.5 million settlement obtained for our client, a construction worker, who fell 15 feet when a ladder slipped out from under him during construction work. Our client sustained injuries to both heels and required surgery to both legs. Our accident attorneys successfully secured a $4.5 million settlement for our client.

Injured in a workplace fire or explosion? Give us a call

When you have suffered injury in a workplace fire or explosion, the experience can be traumatic and life-altering. In the aftermath of the incident, you may feel overwhelmed, stressed, angry, and confused. Let us help. The skilled fire and explosion attorneys at New York’s Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims and fighting on their behalf for just compensation for their injuries. Do not be intimidated by employers, insurance companies, or other parties who do not have your best interests at heart. Contact a member of our team to arrange for a confidential consultation to discuss your fire or explosion accident. All of our attorneys operate on a contingency basis so you do not pay us anything until we win your case. Contact our office at 718-395-4669 or 917-268-6710 or contact us online.