Construction Lawyers & How They Can Help You

April 11, 2022
Steven Schwartzapfel

Frequency of NYC Construction Accidents

Construction is well known as a dangerous industry in most major cities around the world. But in New York City, construction accidents are troublingly common.

For example, official city statistics report that nearly 600 construction-related injuries occurred at New York City building worksites in 2019 alone. Significantly, this was actually an improvement from the 761 reported construction-related injuries in 2018.

In fact, things have continued to get better by the numbers. For instance, 2020 saw a further decrease in construction-related injuries, as slightly over 500 accident-related injuries were reported. However, these injuries still affect hundreds of newly injured people and their families as well as thousands of workers and ex-workers with pre-existing, accident-related conditions from years past. Many construction site injuries are particularly severe or dangerous and often lead to high medical expenses for surgeries, rehabilitation, pain medication, and more.

In some cases, construction site accidents may even lead to accidental deaths. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that New York City’s private construction industry has the highest number of work-related fatalities compared to other industries. Alarmingly, the record reflects that there were 24 fatalities in 2019 alone.

NYC Construction Accident Injuries

Many construction site injuries occur due to interactions with heavy workplace equipment, toxic site chemicals, or other hazardous compounds and objects. Potential injuries include but are not limited to:

Broken bones
Sprains, strains, and ligament tears
Concussions and/or other traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Respiratory injuries from inhaling toxic chemicals
Skin burns (e.g. chemical, heat)
External lacerations
Dislocations and/or hernias
Internal bleeding
Spinal injuries and/or even paralysis

Even on worksites where all employees wear proper safety equipment, injuries can still be severe or even deadly. This is doubly true if a worksite is not safe because of management decisions, lack of funding, or other root causes.

Causes of Construction Accidents in NYC

Construction site accidents in New York City can be caused by a variety of factors, both error and circumstance-related. Here are a few examples:

Employees not being properly trained by management, leading them to using workplace equipment improperly.
Management not imposing proper safety precautions or failing to issue proper safety equipment.
Heavy workplace equipment or chemicals not being stored properly, leading to immediate injuries and/or long-term medical conditions (e.g., cancers, respiratory issues, etc.).
Improperly manufactured heavy workplace equipment (e.g., a bad component or system leading to an accident such as a crane unintentionally dropping a heavy load).
A poorly maintained worksite leading to slip-and-fall and/or trip-and-fall accidents.
The worksite not being properly protected, leading to issues with fires, explosions, and/or electrical accidents.

New York City construction accident lawsuit results are heavily contingent on who was ultimately found at fault for the accident in question and any related injuries. That’s another reason why you should contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers at (516) 342-2200 right away for professional legal advice!

Liability for NYC Construction Accidents

Like many serious accidents, construction site accidents may have multiple responsible parties or just one. Potential organizations or individuals who may be held at fault for construction accidents include:

Worksite managers or overseers
Prime contractors, who are responsible for work identified in a contract.
Subcontractors or general contractors. OSHA regulations require subcontractors in general contractors to provide workers with safe construction sites, warnings about hazards, and to regularly make sure that work is performed safely
Construction site owners. Some owners may be more liable than others depending on how much control they have over the premises where the accident took place.
Architects and/or engineers. These professionals always have a duty to ensure compliance with code regulations or product manufacturing standards.
Product manufacturers themselves. For instance, if a manufacturer sells improperly built workplace equipment, they could be held liable for injuries that result.

Proving negligence is one of the more major aspects of any construction accident lawsuit. Victimized parties must prove that at least one other party:

Had a duty of care or safety to them
Either knowingly or unknowingly ignored that duty of care
Acted negligently, leading to the injuries sustained

That said, skilled legal professionals can help a construction accident victim prove that their workplace injuries were sustained because:

They were not warned about hazards on the worksite
They were not given proper safety equipment
Their equipment was not properly maintained
Their equipment had had a major defect
And more!

In large part, your claim will depend on the specifics of your case and the experience of the legal professionals you retain. That’s why choosing the right legal team to represent you in a construction accident case is so important.

To hear from New York’s premier construction-accident law firm, call Schwartzapfel Lawyers at (516) 342-2200 now!

Workers’ Compensation for Construction Accidents

Even if no one is outwardly responsible for a construction accident, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. When injured at work, oftentimes you may be eligible for a payout to help cover the cost of medical bills and other accident-related expenses.

But it can be tough to prove that your injury was sustained at work and through no major fault of your own, especially if the insurance company acts stingily. Fortunately, the right construction accident lawyer will know how to navigate the workers’ compensation system and help you get the payout you deserve to recover from your injuries.

How Can NYC Construction Accident Attorneys Help?

NYC construction accident lawyers can help with your case in a number of important ways – and you can contact the best by calling Schwartzapfel Lawyers at (516) 342-2200! 24/7, rain or shine, you will be able to speak with one of our elite NYC construction accident attorneys. In terms of the assignments a skilled construction accident lawyer can handle, examples include but are not limited to:

Document Information

For example, any experienced personal injury lawyer will make it a point to document important information about your case so that your legal team can then gather the appropriate records relating to your claim for compensation (e.g., insurance policy information, medical records, medical bills, etc.).

All of these gathered documents can help your attorney prove that you suffered injuries from your workplace accident and, in turn, help you secure compensation. You may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury claim depending on who is ultimately held at fault.

Investigate and Collect Evidence

Additionally, your legal team can investigate and collect additional evidence to prove your case. Many workers’ compensation claims are tough to clear since the insurance company doesn’t want to pay out any money, even when they should.

But the right evidence can force them to cover the cost of your medical bills and other expenses. The proper evidence can prove:

That your employer knew about hazards or did not supply you with proper safety equipment
That your injuries were sustained on your worksite or during workplace hours, thus qualifying you for workers’ compensation

It can be challenging to collect evidence to prove your construction accident injury or workers’ compensation case, especially when you are recovering from physical injuries and associated emotional and financial traumas. By allowing your legal team to handle these tasks, you will be able to better recuperate, which can make all the difference in your journey to recovery.

Negotiate and Fight for You

On top of building your case, an experienced construction accident attorney will be able to negotiate on your behalf and never stop fighting for you™. Schwartzapfel Lawyers has built a reputation on helping construction industry employees just like yourself:

Secure the largest available workers’ compensation payouts by law
Prove negligence on the part of employers, other employees, or other parties in order to optimize recovery of damages
Receive maximum compensation amounts to pay for medical bills, rehabilitation costs, loss of income, and more

Schwartzapfel Lawyers is much more than a standard New York City construction accident law firm. We’re committed to each of our clients and know how hard it can be to recover from a major accident. That’s why we don’t charge any of our clients unless we win their case first.

That’s right – you never need to worry about being unable to pay for your legal help until after your case is resolved. And if we can’t secure compensation for you, you’ll never be charged. But we’re so confident in our ability to ensure that your workers’ comp claim goes through or that your construction accident lawsuit is successful that we invite you to check our testimonials page.

Over our 150+ years of combined service, we have helped our clients get millions of dollars in payouts for major construction accident lawsuits and workers’ comp claims. Because of our experience both inside and outside the courtroom, and owing to our devotion to clients, whom we consider family, whether you are seeking to recover from workers’ compensation insurance or need additional compensation to pay for medical bills, we can help.

Contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers

The best construction accident attorneys can change everything about your lawsuit process and outcome. With the right help, your lawsuit can be more successful than you ever imagined. And with Schwartzapfel Lawyers on your side, the compensation you need to recover from your accident so that you can get back to your life is just a phone call away.

Sources:

Fighting For You™™ | Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C.

Safety Analysis 2019 | NY Department of Buildings

Fatal Occupational Injuries in New York City – 2019 | BLS.gov

OSHA Worker Rights and Protections | Occupational Safety and Health Administration