Unfortunately, construction accidents are a common occurrence in New York City, everywhere from the Bronx and Brooklyn to Queens, Staten Island, and Manhattan. Because of this, those who earn their living constructing buildings, repairing infrastructure, or performing other vital construction work are at a greater-than-average risk of suffering serious injuries.
When injured, construction accident victims need to know who to contact to ensure they get the compensation they need to recover physically as well as financially. The best New York construction accident lawyers can help accident victims get back on their feet and recover damages from any at-fault parties and/or their workers’ compensation insurance companies.
If you or a loved one are dealing with the aftermath of a construction accident injury, a NYC construction accident lawyer like Schwartzapfel Lawyers can help. Call us at 1-516-342-2200 for a free case evaluation. Don’t wait. Act now and start protecting your financial future today!
Why Do Construction Accidents Occur?
Construction accidents occur for various reasons, ranging from employer negligence to lack of protective gear and more. As a result, hundreds of avoidable construction accidents happen every year in New York City. For instance, almost 600 construction-related injuries occurred at New York City building worksites in 2019 alone.
Additionally, data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that, compared to other private industries, the New York City private construction industry leads in work-related fatalities. Evidencing this, 24 construction-related fatalities were reported in 2019 alone, mostly due to unsafe working conditions. To note: There are many types of construction accidents. Examples include but are not limited to:
Depending on the root cause of New York City construction accidents, one or more parties may be partially or fully responsible for any injuries sustained. For example, suppose a worksite overseer or site owner did not provide employees with hardhats or other necessary safety equipment during a construction project. In that case, they could be held liable for any injuries that occur on that worksite.
But even if no one is explicitly responsible for an accident, accident victims still have options. In large part, this is because New York City construction companies are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, which is meant to help cover the cost of medical bills and other accident-related expenses if you are injured while on a job site or while performing work-related duties.
What Do Construction Accident Lawyers Do?
New York construction accident attorneys can assist accident victims in a variety of ways. Specifically, they can help with securing workers’ compensation insurance payouts and suing negligent or at-fault parties if applicable.
Workers’ Comp Assistance
According to New York law, workers’ compensation insurance is supposed to be paid out to any employee who is injured while on a construction worksite or in the course of performing their duties.
In practice, however, insurance companies will often try to avoid paying injured personnel. To do this, they may attempt to prove that you were injured off the worksite, while being negligent in your duties, or in some other way that would cause you to be disqualified from receiving workers’ comp benefits.
These roadblocks can make it hard to get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve for your medical bills and other damages. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for construction accident victims without adequate legal representation to go months, or even years, without receiving any workers’ comp payouts. All the while their medical bills keep piling up and, if their injuries prevent them from returning to work, soon there is no way to make a dent in their expenses, let alone break even.
But this doesn’t have to happen. With a well-qualified construction accident attorney like the ones at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, you will be able to recover financially so that you can focus on what’s really important: getting better.
Why Hire a Construction Accident Lawyer for Workers’ Comp?
Construction accident lawyers know how workers’ compensation insurance companies work. They can negotiate on your behalf and fight any attempts to disqualify you from the payout you are entitled to.
For example, the right construction accident attorneys can:
- Gather evidence showing that you were on a worksite or doing work-related duties when you were injured
- Gather evidence indicating that you were not breaking rules or being negligent with your safety
- Collect contracts and other documentation proving that the insurance company has to pay you for your injuries
These efforts can go a long way toward ensuring you get the money you need to recover financially after an accident. Don’t let insurance companies hold your finances hostage — contact an elite New York construction accident law firm today. Call 1-516-342-2200 now!
Personal Injury Lawsuits
In many construction site accidents, one or more parties may be directly or indirectly responsible for your injuries.
For instance, if your company’s general manager did not provide you with appropriate safety gear, they could be held liable if you suffer an injury as a result. As well, some worksite managers won’t replace equipment or tools that could be hazardous to the people who use or work near them. If you are injured while using a tool that should have been repaired or replaced, your supervisor or boss could be held liable or negligent for the injuries you sustained.
In all of these cases and more, your best option is to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, personal injury lawsuits can be highly complex and have a statute of limitations of three years.
So what should you do if you want to secure compensation for your medical expenses and other costs? In short: Hire a legal professional who understands your case as well as your personal needs..
Why Hire a Construction Accident Lawyer for Personal Injury Cases?
Personal injury or construction accident lawyers can be of great assistance during personal injury lawsuits. Among other important tasks, they can:
- Gather evidence proving negligence on the part of your boss, another worker, or any other party who may have been responsible for your injuries
- Negotiate with insurance companies or the accused’s legal team on your behalf, allowing you to recover
- Offer sound legal counsel, such as explaining to you who you should direct your lawsuit toward and why
Benefits of Hiring Knowledgeable Legal Professionals
No matter the root cause of your construction accident or where damages are likely to come from, hiring knowledgeable construction accident attorneys is always a wise idea. They can improve your lawsuit or workers’ compensation claim in several ways, including but not limited to:
Filing Your Lawsuit On Time
Construction accident lawyers know when you need to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. Every accident-related lawsuit in the state of New York has a statute of limitations, beyond which you may be barred from filing for that specific incident.
It can be tough to keep track of statute of limitations deadlines or other important paperwork deadlines while you recover from your accident and handle all the responsibilities of daily life. To lift this burden, top construction accident lawyers can help injured construction workers by filing their lawsuit, workers’ compensation claim, and any other paperwork on time and without hassle.
Negotiate With Other Parties/Insurance Companies
As well, the right construction accident attorneys will be able to negotiate on your behalf with any negligent parties, like your boss, another employee, or even a tool manufacturer. They can also negotiate with insurance companies, which is normally intimidating for injured workers who might not know what to say or how to press for their rightful payouts.
Negotiation is a powerful tool, and NYC’s best personal injury lawyers will fight for you to ensure you get the compensation you need ASAP. When compensation amounts can range from hundreds of dollars to millions of dollars, having professionals on your side is essential — especially if a workers’ comp insurance company has its own legal team.
Maximize Compensation
By effectively presenting your case, personal injury attorneys can make sure you receive as much compensation as possible for your construction site injuries. This is significant because poorly managed lawsuits or workers’ compensation claims may result in payouts of only a few hundred dollars, which is nowhere near enough to pay for most medical bills these days.
The right law office can push this number much higher, allowing you to pay off accident-related debts so that you can instead put that money toward your financial future. To accomplish this, a successful construction accident lawyer will be able to:
- Establish that the insurance company has to pay you a certain amount of money if you’re filing for workers’ compensation
- Prove negligence beyond a reasonable doubt toward another party
- Demonstrate that in order to pay off your medical bills, a certain amount of compensation is required
Schwartzapfel Lawyers has a long history of securing stellar compensation amounts for our clients. Our Verdicts & Settlements page, for instance, contains numerous testimonials and examples of past construction accident lawsuit outcomes, which have totaled in the millions of dollars for our clients.
You can call us today to learn more about these past cases as well as your own. Simply dial 1-516-342-2200 and have Schwartzapfel Lawyers join in the fight for getting you all the money you are entitled to!
How To Tell Whether a Construction Accident Attorney Is Right for You
While hiring a construction accident attorney is generally a smart move, you’ll also want to make sure you choose the right legal team for your needs.
Past Case History
When considering a law firm, first check out their case history to make sure they have experience handling construction accident cases like your own; moreover, you’ll want to verify that those cases have resulted in successful outcomes for their clients. In this way, you’ll avoid wasting your time and be well on your way to hiring a legal team that will fight for you no matter what.
Here at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, we have years of experience working on construction accident cases. As such, we’re extremely familiar with New York labor laws. We also have experience handling cases involving wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), back injuries, and more.
Dedication to Clients
When deciding on a firm, you’ll want to ensure that the legal team you choose is completely dedicated to its clients. Unlike some law firms, Schwartzapfel Lawyers is committed to each client we take on. Each of our clients becomes a part of our large family, and we don’t rest until we succeed.
That’s reflected in our fee basis, too, which is why you won’t need to worry about paying Schwartzapfel Lawyers a dime unless we successfully secure your payout from workers’ compensation or the negligent party involved in your construction accident case.
Finding a lawyer is easy. Finding lawyers who will fight for you is the real challenge, but it doesn’t have to be — you can call Schwartzapfel Lawyers today at 1-516-342-2200!
Summary
When the time comes to file a construction accident lawsuit or speak to a workers’ compensation company, don’t force yourself to go it alone. Instead, hire construction accident attorneys who will stand by you through every development and who won’t rest until you get the compensation you need and more.
Why wait? Contact us today at 1-516-342-2200 for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing about your case, what you need, and how we can best assist you moving forward!
Sources:
Fighting For You™™ | Schwartzapfel Lawyers
Construction Related Injuries and Fatalities | New York Department of Buildings
Fatal Occupational Injuries in New York City 2019 | BLS.gov
Workers’ Compensation Coverage Requirements | WCB.NY.gov
Commonly Used Statistics | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
