New York Construction Accident Lawyer

New York needs construction workers to construct and maintain the buildings, bridges, tunnels, and infrastructure that everyone depends on. However, this occupation comes with many hazards that could leave workers temporarily or permanently disabled, unable to make a living and dealing with medical debt.

The New York construction accident lawyers from our office help injured workers get the money they need to make up for what the injury has taken from them. Call 212.221.1000 today to get a free case review from Shulman & Hill.

Ways of Obtaining Construction Accident Compensation

Construction accident survivors may have multiple options for collecting financial compensation. In addition, if you are the relative of a worker who did not survive their injury, you could also have a right to damages.

We understand that the process of seeking compensation can be needlessly confusing, especially if you are still trying to recover from an injury or the loss of a loved one. We can be there for you throughout the entire process, so you don’t have to worry about how to handle things on your own.

If you survived the accident and are seeking compensation on your own behalf, you could do so through a workers’ compensation claim, a personal injury lawsuit, or both. Our firm can handle both of these cases for you at the same time, saving you time, money, and headaches.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Workers’ compensation insurance provides workers with free medical care for their injuries, as well as a portion of their usual wages. You can apply for these benefits by:

• Informing your employer and the state Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) about the injury promptly
• Hiring one of our attorneys to find evidence that supports your claim
• Letting us manage negotiations with your employer or their insurer if there are disputes about how much you should get or when you must return to work

Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuit

In addition, if we can find evidence that another party’s actions contributed to the accident, we could sue them for damages. This would hold the at-fault party responsible and provide you with additional funds to support yourself and your loved ones.

We could make it easier for you to file a lawsuit by:

• Collecting corroborating evidence from your medical records, witness statements, the police report (if applicable), and audiovisual footage
• Sending a demand letter to the insurance company, asking that they pay you fair damages
• Negotiating with the insurer or taking the liable party to court to get you compensation

Wrongful Death Cases

After a construction accident that takes the life of a loved one, you and your family have the same options as personal injury survivors. However, you may be eligible to collect different types of compensation. For example, you could collect survivor benefits from the employer’s workers’ comp insurer, which includes money for funeral expenses and the loss of your loved one’s income.

If you also decide to file a lawsuit against a liable party, you could seek additional money for the sudden loss of financial support.

We Accept All Kinds of Clients

Shulman & Hill handles both personal injury and workers’ compensation cases, and we can file wrongful death lawsuits as well as personal injury suits. This is an enormous benefit to those who qualify for multiple types of compensation. You would not have to retain two separate law firms to handle your cases.

It is our goal to help everyone who has suffered a preventable injury, regardless of the circumstances surrounding that injury. We even work on a contingency basis, so you owe us no attorney’s fees until after you get your compensation.

Damages Available to Construction Accident Survivors

The type and amount of compensation you can receive depends on:

• How you seek that money (from workers’ comp versus a lawsuit)
• How serious your injuries are
• How long you have to miss work
• What insurance limits are at play (if any)

As previously mentioned, workers’ compensation could reimburse you for medical expenses and loss of income. Lawsuits can secure a wider range of damages, including:

• Pain and suffering: the physical and psychological distress your accident caused
• Loss of employment: if you were fired or forced to take early retirement, or if you had to undergo vocational rehabilitation training to find a new type of job
• Loss of future employment: the money you should have earned by working in construction for many more years

Who Gets Construction Accident Compensation?

Our lawyers can determine if your injury qualifies for accident compensation for any of the following:

• Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Bone fractures
• Muscle sprains or strains
• Back and neck injuries, including spinal cord injuries
• Burns from fire, extreme heat, or electricity
• Cuts or lacerations
• Illnesses you were exposed to on the job

A New York construction accident lawyer from Shulman & Hill can help you seek the compensation to which you’re entitled to receive from your employer’s insurer, the liable party, or both.

Who Is Liable for My Construction Accident?

As you already know, construction sites are hectic, busy places where many people, organizations, and objects converge to get the job done. For that reason, it could be difficult to identify the specific parties who contributed to one particular accident.

To make sure your lawsuit targets the correct party or parties, an attorney from our office can work diligently to collect as much evidence as possible. With enough information, we can tell you if you should sue:

• A contractor, for not following safety procedures
• A manufacturer, for allowing the sale of faulty products and/or not recalling those products fast enough
• A property owner, for allowing unsafe equipment or working conditions on their land
• A maintenance company, for failing to take care of the equipment or tools they were responsible for

Our firm is not afraid of complicated cases. Even if your case involves multiple liable parties or a powerful liable party with a lot of clout (e.g., a large corporation or the state government), we want to help.

New York Construction Accident Statistics

Construction sites present many dangers, even fatal ones, to the people who work there. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) tracks fatal New York construction accidents, including the following:

• A New York construction worker fell from a building they were working on.
• A New York construction worker was hit and fatally wounded by a scaffold bracket.
• A Bronx construction worker fell and died on a construction site.
• A New York construction worker was hit and fatally wounded by a crane counterweight.
• Numerous workers throughout the city died after falling from a scaffold.

These types of incidents involving construction workers happen almost every day in New York City. Construction is a dangerous job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), thirteen construction workers were killed in 2020, accounting for 22% of all fatal workplace injuries in NYC for the year. Many more each year are seriously injured.

All too often these accidents aren’t random events at all. They result directly from inadequate safety measures, such as:

• Scaffolds that cannot support even the minimum required amount of weight
• Tools that are not maintained properly or that contain defective parts
• A lack of harnesses, training, guards, helmets, or other safety features
• A lack of enforcement regarding safety measures
• Objects that end up falling because they aren’t secured properly

Unsafe working conditions, lack of safety training, and malfunctioning equipment are just a few of the reasons injuries occur on construction sites. Workers’ compensation gives you the right to income and medical treatment for construction accident injuries. However, under New York laws, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and pursue additional compensation, which we can handle both for you.

Contact Our New York Construction Accident Lawyers Today

Shulman & Hill understands that a construction accident can cause you to miss time from work—sometimes permanently—and creates significant hardship for your family. Our New York construction accident lawyers can determine a fair case value by offering legal representation for both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases.

We have recovered millions of dollars for construction workers hurt on the job. If you were injured on a construction site, call 212.221.1000 or contact us online.

We are proud to serve the people of New York and have offices throughout the city, including Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.