New York Construction Accident Attorney

If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, you deserve to get the compensation for your medical recovery, mental trauma, and pain & suffering. Get the compensation by working with a New York construction accident attorney. The attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP offer free case
evaluations for any victim that has sustained injuries in a construction accident.

As per a 2019 report by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,333 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2019, a 2 percent increase from the 5,250 in 2018, and the highest since 2007. The fatal work injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, as per a report released in 2018.

Among the types of workers within the construction industry, it emerged that it was the drivers/sales workers and truck drivers who saw the highest occupational fatalities since 2003 at a shocking 1005 occupation fatalities in 2019. Moreover, falls, slips, and trips also increased by 11 percent in 2019.

In terms of the nature of work within the industry, the data suggests that it is fishing and hunting workers followed by logging workers, flight engineers, and roofers who were at the highest risk of work-related fatalities. A comparison between private-sector and government-owned construction work suggested that a higher increase in worker fatalities was observed among private-sector construction workers with a rise of 5 percent in fatalities – the highest since 2007.

Common causes accidents at construction sites

Some of the most common causes of construction accidents in New York are as follows:

•  Improper fall protection
• Hazardous communications standards
• Scaffolding-related security risks
• Respiratory-related protections
• Ladder risks
• Control of hazardous energy
• Powder industrial trucks

Legal and safety provisions for construction accidents

1. Occupational Safety and Health Hazard Administration(OSHA)

OSHA is a federal government agency. Its aim is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees by mandating implementation of certain safety standards as well as provide timely and updated information on workplace safety. The end objective is to avoid any workplace injury to occur. OSHA also provides training to employers to ensure effective implementation of safety standards. OSHA also undertakes inspections of workplaces. In 2019, OSHA conducted nearly 34000 workplace inspections.

All private-sector employees are protected by OSHA. In event of an injury at work place, a construction accident attorney will ensure that there were no OSHA-related violations at the work site. If so, the employer can be penalized.

More information about OSHA is available here.

2. New York Labor Law: Section 240

New York Labor Law Section 240 is a workers’ compensation law in the state. It is a part of a set of labor laws designed to protect workers on construction sites from being involved in construction- related accidents. This section focuses on falls from high locations, one of the most common causes of accidents on job sites.

The section indicates that workers have the right to protection from falls when they are working in high elevation. It also includes protections from injuries related to falls of objects from high locations.

Section 240 is also called the Scaffold Law. It provides for very specific requirements for employers including project management to provide steps to ensure an employee’s safety while on the job site for any type of construction related work.

It applies to all parties including the project owner, the project manager, the general contractor, and the owner of the building. Proper and OSHA-approved methods must be used to prevent construction workers from falling from high locations or being struck from any type of falling objects.If this is not done according to OSHA guidelines, the project manager, owner, or general contractor can be held responsible for the injuries suffered by the employee.

This includes any financial losses suffered by the employee as a result of a lack of guidance or protections. Employers must not only provide the actual tools for these protections to occur, but also ensure that they are followed by all employees.

Responsibility of worker safety

It is important to remember that the responsibility of the workers’ safety lies on the employer. Any accident due to negligence of the employer holds them accountable.

If you’ve suffered an injury in a construction accident

If you’ve been in a construction accident due to employer negligence, then the you’re entitled to a compensation. In most cases, this settlement offer will be grossly inadequate to compensate for the injuries, and other expenses you may incur immediately and in the long run. Additionally, the compensation might only include the workers’ compensation. But you deserve more.

Getting the compensation, you deserve

It’s simple! Hire a construction accident attorney and let them take care of it. A construction accident attorney at Siler and Ingber will understand your long-term needs and the money necessary for your care. When valuing your claim, we will make sure that the compensation covers all the financial expenses and the damage done to your quality of life. A few such components which should be included in your settlement are:

• Current and future medical bills for medical treatment
• Physical or emotional therapy
• Lost wages and income
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and disfigurement
• Lost enjoyment of life

Hire the best construction accident attorney at Siler & Ingber

Contact the top New York Construction Accident Attorneys at Siler and Ingber today! Call 1-516-294-2666, or use the online contact form on this page to schedule a free consultation.