Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
If you or a loved one got hurt in a construction accident on Long Island, New York, you may have options for compensation. A Long Island construction accident lawyer from our team can help you identify the liable parties and hold them accountable. At Shulman & Hill, we can also help you with your workers’ compensation case. We offer our legal services on a contingency fee basis, so we only take a fee after we secure a financial recovery for you.
Contact Shulman & Hill today to begin your free consultation.
Why Choose Shulman & Hill for Your Long Island Construction Accident Case
Choosing a law firm to represent you shouldn’t be taken lightly. The right construction accident attorney can significantly impact your case outcome, and we are confident that we are the right law firm to protect your rights.
Firm Experience & Track Record
For over a decade, Shulman & Hill’s skilled construction accident attorneys have helped injury victims recover the compensation they deserve. Our firm has secured over $700 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. Some of our most notable results include:
- $2,500,000 recovered for a non-union worker injured at a construction site
- $2,250,000 secured for a worker struck by a shoring pole on a construction site
- $2,000,000 recovered for an immigrant laborer injured after falling from a defective ladder
- $1,750,000 recovered for a carpenter who sustained back injuries after a trip and fall on a construction site
- $1,500,000 secured for an undocumented day laborer injured when the defendants failed to secure a descending steel beam
Strong Advocacy for Construction Workers
Handling construction site injury claims requires a deep understanding of national workplace standards, New York labor law, state-specific tort law, and industry-specific regulations. Shulman & Hill has this knowledge and will use our expertise to your advantage.
Construction accidents can involve multiple parties. Our skilled attorneys understand the legal responsibilities of employers, contractors, and other parties on a construction site. When these parties fail to meet their obligations, their negligence can lead to serious accidents and injuries. We know how to identify these failures and use them to establish liability in your case.
Client-Focused Approach
We are New Yorkers representing New Yorkers. Our central focus is on providing clients with a personalized experience and maximized results. Our firm’s diverse legal professionals speak Spanish, Russian, and other languages, so our clients feel comfortable telling us their stories and receiving our trusted legal guidance. We are committed to open communication, attention to detail, and aggressive representation.
You’ll never struggle to learn what’s happening with your case because we’ll ensure you receive regular case updates addressing your concerns. With a personalized approach, we tailor our legal strategies to your unique situation to achieve the best possible outcome.
Types of Compensation You Can Seek in a Construction Accident Case
Our work injury attorneys have helped many clients recover damages. Every case is unique, however. To determine how much we can seek for you, we will investigate the specific circumstances of your accident and collect evidence to build a compelling case to recover compensation for you.
While the circumstances of your injuries determine your legal options, our team can prove whether a third party was responsible for your construction accident injuries. If so, you may be able to recover compensation by two means.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you were injured at work. Most employers in New York must provide this insurance coverage for their workers. Workers’ compensation provides benefits such as:
- Medical expenses (e.g., emergency care, hospital stays, medications, medical equipment, diagnostic testing, surgeries, physical therapy, and follow-up care)
- About two-thirds of your lost income
- Disability
- Death benefits if your loved one passed away from their injuries (e.g., funeral and burial costs)
You cannot recover non-economic damages in a workers’ compensation claim. Additionally, you cannot sue your employer or coworkers for on-the-job injuries in New York. Instead, the state requires workers’ compensation coverage. However, you might have a personal injury case if a third party’s carelessness caused your accident and injuries.
Damages Via a Third-Party Lawsuit
You may have grounds to file a third-party lawsuit against one of the following parties:
- The property owner
- The property manager
- A general contractor or subcontractor
- A product manufacturer
After you identify the liable party, you can pursue compensation for your expenses and losses. This includes economic damages, such as medical bills and lost income, and non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, scarring, and disfigurement.
To recover compensation in these cases, we must have evidence to show the liable party’s carelessness or recklessness caused the injuries and your losses. This may require an investigation, analyzing evidence, working with experts, and taking other steps to document what happened and who is legally responsible.
How Our Lawyer Will Handle Your Long Island Construction Accident Case
Taking care of your injuries after a construction accident should be your only focus, not figuring out how long you have to file a case, playing phone tag with insurance claim reps, or negotiating for a fair settlement. Leave that to our top-notch legal team instead.
While you’re in recovery, rest assured our Long Island construction accident attorney will:
Obtain and Organize Evidence
While a workers’ compensation claim does not require you to show fault, having strong evidence against a company or property owner can help strengthen your claim and a lawsuit if you choose to file one. Common types of evidence that can strengthen a case include:
- Medical records
- Income statements
- The incident report
- Photos of the incident scene
- Photos of the injuries
- Video captured of the incident
- Statements from eyewitnesses
- Medical expert statements
- Documents showing expenses and losses
This information can also help us determine whom to pursue for your damages. We conduct a comprehensive investigation, including completing accident scene surveys and accident reconstruction. Our construction accident attorneys know how to develop a strong case based on many types of workplace injuries, including collisions and ladder and scaffolding falls.
Protect Your Legal Rights
In New York, most employers must provide workers’ compensation coverage, but not all workers qualify—including independent contractors and some construction workers. The law can be complex, and any mistake could jeopardize your rights.
At Shulman & Hill, our construction accident personal injury lawyers in Long Island will ensure your claim is filed with the right entity and on time. We’ll also help you access the right medical care and make sure you understand your diagnosis and treatment plan. If your claim is denied, we’ll handle the appeal process on your behalf.
Help You Avoid Costly Mistakes
Dealing with insurance companies can be stressful, and their tactics may hurt your chances at fair compensation. When speaking to an insurer, a simple statement like “I’m fine” could be used against you in settlement negotiations. At Shulman & Hill, we know how insurers operate, and we’ll handle all communications to protect your interests.
Obtain Fair Compensation
Insurance companies are focused on minimizing payouts. With Shulman & Hill, you can trust us to fight for fair compensation on your behalf. Whether negotiating a settlement or going to trial, we’ll work tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve.
We understand how both workers’ compensation claims and injury lawsuits work, and we’ll fight to recover enough compensation to cover the damages you suffered, including medical bills, lost wages, and future income losses.
Instead of letting the insurance company decide what your construction accident case is worth, trust us to go after the compensation you deserve. Whether we need to negotiate a settlement or present your case at trial, our attorneys will do what’s necessary to achieve a fair verdict or settlement on your behalf.
How Insurers May Refuse Paying Out Your Construction Accident Case
Sometimes, insurance companies challenge workers’ compensation claims and third-party cases. When this occurs, our lawyers know how to counter these challenges and pursue the compensation our clients need and deserve. The insurance carriers could say that:
- You were intoxicated at the time of the accident
- You caused your injury on purpose
- You were engaged in horseplay when the accident occurred
- You were not on the clock when the accident happened
- Your injuries aren’t that serious, so you don’t need much compensation
- Your injuries are worse than they should be because you waited too long to see a doctor
- What you’re experiencing is a symptom of a pre-existing condition
The evidence we previously mentioned can help counter these allegations. With strong evidence to support your personal injury and worker’s compensation case, our team can fight for the payout you deserve based on your case facts.
The Advantage of Hiring Both Attorneys From the Same Firm
When an injured construction worker has both a workers’ compensation claim and a third-party injury case, they often need two different attorneys to handle their financial recovery. If there are concerns about their workers’ comp recovery, a lawyer might be necessary to manage the process and fight for their benefits.
A personal injury case against the property owner or another company also takes the knowledge and experience of an attorney to give you the best shot at recovering compensation.
When you choose Shulman & Hill to represent you, we have departments for both types of cases within the same firm. This provides a significant advantage over hiring separate firms to handle your case because you will not have to serve as a go-between to ensure your attorneys share evidence or communicate with one another.
How Much It Costs to Hire Our Long Island Construction Accident Attorney
We understand that you have a lot on your plate right now—physically, emotionally, and financially. At Shulman & Hill, we want to lighten that load and take your case on a contingency fee basis so you don’t pay any upfront costs.
We will take a fee for our services from the compensation you receive once we resolve your case. You don’t have a dime to lose when you partner with our construction accident lawyers on Long Island.
Deadlines for Filing Construction Accident Cases in New York State
When you file a lawsuit, you must comply with certain deadlines. According to the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), employees generally have 30 days to notify their employer about their injury and two years to file a workers’ compensation claim.
When you file a third-party case for personal injury, CPLR § 214 typically sets a three-year deadline. Those who lost their loved ones to their construction accident injuries have less time. Per EPTL § 5-4.1, wrongful death claimants generally have up to two years to file.
Failure to adhere to your applicable deadline usually forfeits your right to compensation. However, if you get a lawyer from our team involved with your case soon enough, we can determine which deadline applies to you and help you comply with it.
Types of Construction Accidents We Handle Near Long Island
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 5,283 workers passed away due to on-the-job injuries in 2023, equating to a rate of 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. Over 1,000 of these deaths were in the construction industry.
Construction accident statistics in neighboring New York City illustrate the severity of the situation for our region’s workers. The private construction industry in NYC recorded the lowest number of construction-related fatalities in almost a decade, with seven deaths in 2023. However, during the same period, construction-related injuries in the city increased by 25 percent, from 554 incidents in 2022 to 692 in 2023.
The dangerous nature of the construction industry makes it likely that even the most careful workers can be seriously injured or killed. Common construction accidents and injuries include:
- Lack of eye and face protection
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Falls from high elevations
- Scaffolding issues
- Ladder accidents
- Struck-by accidents
- Electrical accidents
- Building collapses
- Unsafe or defective equipment
- Forklift injuries
- Welding accidents
- Burns
- Electrocution
- Eye injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Crushing injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Deep lacerations
- Wrongful death
If you suffered any of these injuries or others in a construction accident, you may have grounds to recover damages via a claim or lawsuit. If you were working at the time of the injury, you may also qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Our skilled construction accident lawyers serving Long Island can handle both matters on your behalf, saving you the hassle of hiring a separate law firm to handle your workers’ compensation claim.
- What to Do after a Construction Accident Injury on Long Island, New York
Because construction sites pose serious dangers, everyone should exercise caution to avoid injuries. If an accident happens, take the following steps:
Notify Your Employer Right Away
The WCB typically gives 30 days for employees to inform their employer about their injuries—but the sooner, the better. They may have you fill out an incident report, so ensure you include every detail you remember before, during, and immediately after the event.
Seek Medical Care
Getting prompt medical care is crucial for your health, as you may not know how severe your condition is until then. Delaying action can worsen your injuries and increase the risk of long-term damage. Seeking immediate medical care will help link your injury to the accident, making it harder for the insurance company to dispute your claim.
