According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the most common cause of fatal construction site accidents, followed by being struck by objects.
Other common accident causes include overexertion and electrocution.
When it comes to workplace safety violations that OSHA listed citations for in 2018, fall protection, hazard communication, and scaffolding hazards were the leading categories.
- Common Injuries on a Construction Site
- Construction Accidents In New York
- Factors that Contribute to Construction Accidents
- Liability for Construction Site Injuries
- Damages in a Construction Accident Injury Lawsuit
- Construction Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight for You
Common Injuries on a Construction Site
Serious injuries frequently occur on construction sites, especially if employers fail to uphold proper safety measures.
These injuries may include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Severe burns from electrocution
- Health issues from exposure to toxic chemicals or defective products
- Herniated disks
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash
- Damage to vision or hearing
- Cuts and lacerations
- And more
If you were hurt in a construction site accident, we urge you to see a doctor as soon as possible. Over the years, we have seen injured construction workers postpone treatment for many reasons: They hope the injury will “go away.” They fear it will create problems with their boss or with their ability to get work in the future. If the legal status of their presence in the USA is undocumented, they may have fears related to that issue. Aside from the critically important aspects of getting treatment to restore your health as quickly as medicine and nature will permit, evidence in your medical record linking your injuries to the accident is of the greatest importance in any future personal injury case you may decide to initiate.
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Construction Accidents In New York
As detailed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were roughly 9,600 nonfatal illnesses and injuries reported in the New York construction industry in 2018.
The frequency of fatal accidents is significantly less, with around 20 construction workers dying on the job site in New York each year. From 2009 to 2018, there were a total of 207 construction fatalities in New York, according to research from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH).
Again, falls are the most common culprit in these tragic accidents, making up 40% of all construction fatalities. In New York City, NYCOSH reports that fatal falls are even more common, causing 64% of construction fatalities.
Factors that Contribute to Construction Accidents
Numerous mental and physical factors can contribute to construction accidents, ranging from inclement weather to mechanical (i.e., tools, equipment, vehicles, etc.,) failure and beyond.
Other common factors that may lead to construction accident include:
- Property owners failing to provide adequate safety to workers and visitors
- Disregarding safety measures
- The use of defective products, such as power tools, protective equipment, and more
- Being subjected to improper building practices, spills, unsecured cables, inadequate railings, and other hazardous conditions that may lead to falls
- Contractors interfering with workers’ duties or otherwise putting them at risk
- And more
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Liability for Construction Site Injuries
Liability for construction site injuries may fall on virtually any party who caused an accident by displaying negligence, malice, recklessness, or general wrongdoing.
Examples of potentially liable parties may include:
- Property owners
- Architects
- Subcontractors
- General contractors
- Negligent citizens not affiliated with the company you worked for at the time of the accident
- And more
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Damages in a Construction Accident Injury Lawsuit
If the negligent party is found to be liable for your injuries, you may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages in New York.
Examples of these damages can include, but may not be limited to:
- Costs related to medical treatment, both current and future
- Loss of income and diminished earning capacity
- Mental anguish
- Overall physical suffering
- Accommodations for any disabilities you may be facing
- And more
Construction Accident Lawyers Ready to Fight for You
Here at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., we fight for construction accident victims. We want our communities to be a safer place to live and work. If you have suffered an injury due to another party’s negligence, our firm will be there to fight for your right to compensation under New York law. Some construction site accidents support claims against the property owner and general contractor without requiring proof of their negligence. We also help families fight wrongful death cases in the tragic event that their loved one died in a fatal construction accident. The construction site accident lawyers at Friedman & Simon, LLP are experienced in handling all of these different types of accidents and are dedicated to winning the best possible recovery for you.
In addition to assisting with any concerns or questions you have about the legal process, our attorneys will be there to:
- Keep you updated on your case
- Identify liable parties
- Communicate with all parties for you
- Gather evidence
- Determine a value for your case
- And more
If necessary, our attorneys will call upon expert witnesses to shed light on your case, including economists, medical experts, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and life care planners.
One of our important goals is to give you the time and reduction in stress that will allow you to focus on your family and your recovery. We do this by relieving you of the burdens of communicating with adversarial parties, such as insurance companies and defense lawyers, complying with the technical details of processing a claim or lawsuit, and meeting critical deadlines. To receive your free consultation with a representative, contact us today at (516) 932-0400 to get started. To better serve victims from different cultural backgrounds, we have a multilingual staff who will assist callers in Spanish, Greek, Bengali, Tamil, and Kannada.
Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. takes construction site accident cases on a contingency-fee-basis where you pay us nothing upfront to get started. We only collect attorney fees if and when we help you recover compensation in a settlement offer or court awards.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form