Construction Accidents

The New York City construction accident attorneys of Siegel & Coonerty provide professional representation to clients who have been seriously injured that include fall accidents, ladder accidents, scaffolding accidents, excavation accidents, demolition accidents, forklift accidents, crane accidents, heavy machinery accidents, falling object accidents, elevator accidents, escalator accidents, electrocution accidents, labor law violations, OSHA violations, and harness/lifeline accidents.

New York Construction Accident Attorneys

Injured in a New York construction accident? Did you fall from a ladder or scaffold? You deserve dedicated, professional legal representation from a firm that cares about putting clients first. The New York City construction accident lawyers at Siegel & Coonerty represent construction workers who sustain serious injuries because of violations of state and federal laws. We represent:

Workers who fall from scaffolds, ladders, unguarded roofs, unprotected elevator shafts, and other elevations.
Workers who are hit by falling objects on the construction site.
Workers who are injured due to a failure to provide safety harnesses, lanyards, safety cables, lifelines, and other safety equipment.
Workers with injuries caused by construction site debris.
Workers harmed by defective tools or equipment.
Victims of New York Labor Law violations.
Victims of OSHA violations.

The attorneys of Siegel & Coonerty represent victims of many types of construction site accidents, including:

Scaffold Accidents
Ladder Accidents
Fall Accidents
Excavation Accidents
Demolition Accidents
Forklift Accidents
Crane Accidents
Electrocution
Heavy Machinery Accidents
Elevator Accidents
Escalator Accidents
Falling Object Accidents
Harness/Lifeline Accidents

Injuries from construction site accidents can be quite serious. Some of the most common injuries include :

Traumatic Brain Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Paralysis
Wrongful Death

Successful Settlements and Verdicts

Craniotomy for Brain Hematoma | $1,200,000.00 Settlement

Plaintiff (Non disclosure agreement) sustained fractured skull, sub-dural bleed and intraparencchymal hemorrhage requiring craneotomy as a result of a pipe falling on his head during the demolition of a building interior. He sustained a mild traumatic brain injury with minor residual.

Awarded: $1,200,000.00 Pre-trial Settlement – Andrew W. Siegel, Trial Attorney

Scaffold Collapse Results in Facial Fractures And Head Trauma | $6,000,000.00 Verdict

Crespo v. DASNY, et. al. Bronx Supreme, Index No. 23922/99 Honorable Alan J. Saks

Defendant did not provide Plaintiff with proper safety equipment who sustained multiple facial fractures, trigeminal neuralgia and mild traumatic brain injury after falling from a scaffold failure.

Offer of settlement: $985,000.00
Awarded: $6,000,000.00 Jury Verdict – Andrew W. Siegel, Trial Attorney
The GS&C difference: $5,015,000.00

Improperly Secured Overhead Piping Falls And Causes Skull Fractures And Brain Trauma | $1,200,000.00 Settleent

Plaintiff (Non disclosure agreement) sustained fractured skull, sud-dural bleed and intraparencchymal hemorrhage requiring craneotomy.

$1,200,000.00 Pre-trial Settlement – Andrew W. Siegel, Trial Attorney

Platform Collapse Caused Worker To Fall And Sustain Severe Head Trauma | $11,950,000.00 Verdict

Details Witheld

Awarded: $11,950,000.00 Jury Verdict – Andrew W. Siegel, Trial Attorney

Worker’s Fall From Scaffold Results In Calcaneus Blow-out Fractures Requiring Surgeries | $2,150,000.00 Settlement

Details Witheld

Awarded: $2,150,000.00 Pre-trial Settlement – Sean E. Coonerty, Trial Attorney

Collapse Of Platform In Elevator Shaft | $4,600,00.00 Settlement

Collapse Of Platform In Elevator Shaft Causes Worker To Fall And Sustain Inuries Requiring Multiple Knee And Spine Surgeries

Awarded: $4,600,00.00 Settlement During Trial – Sean E. Coonerty, Trial Attorney

Sidewalk Bridge Falls On Worker Causing Multiple Hip/Pelvis Fractures | $1,500,000.00 Verdict

Sidewalk Bridge Falls On Worker Causing Multiple Hip/Pelvis Fractures

Awarded: $1,500,000.00 Pre-trial Settlement – Sean E. Coonerty, Trial Attorney

Collapse of Floor Causes Worker To Fall | $1,600,000.00 Settlement

Collapse of Floor Causes Worker To Fall And Sustain Injuries Requiring Spine Surgery

Awarded: $1,600,000.00 Pre-trial Settlement – Sean E. Coonerty, Trial Attorney

What You Need to Know About New York Construction Site Scaffolding and Ladder Accidents

Ladders and scaffolding are meant to prevent construction site accidents by stopping a worker’s fall. These temporary structures provide construction crews with a platform to stand on as they work on surfaces beyond arm’s reach. Safer than ladders, scaffolds often are used on construction sites, especially when the worker needs equipment, tools, or supplies.

While workers rely on ladders and scaffolding for the purpose of safety, these structures can prove dangerous if not properly constructed or maintained. Every year, thousands of construction workers suffer injuries due to collapses and falls. In fact, about 88 construction workers a year are killed in scaffolding accidents.

Known as the “Scaffold Law,” New York Labor Law Section 240 provides special protections for New York construction crews who work at heights. Under Section 240, workers must be provided with strong and secure scaffolding, hoists, stays, ladders, slings, hangers, blocks, pulleys, braces, irons, ropes, and other necessary safety equipment to protect from falls, such as harnesses.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also has rules regarding scaffolding and ladders:

Scaffolding must be provided for any individual doing work that cannot be performed from the ground, except in cases where a ladder is permitted.
The anchorage or footing on ladders and scaffolding must be sound, rigid, and capable of carrying the maximum intended load without settling or slipping.
Unstable objects should not be used to support scaffolding.
Scaffolds and all scaffolding components must be able to support at least four times the maximum intended load without failure.
Scaffolds and ladders should not be loaded in excess of the intended working load.
Scaffolding must be constructed in a way that provides a barrier to protect from falls.
Ladders and scaffolds must be maintained in safe condition.
Ladders should not be placed on small scaffolds, especially mobile or “baker” scaffolds.
Scaffolding must be visually inspected for defects before every work shift. Scaffolding also must be inspected after any event that could possibly affect the integrity of the scaffolding.
Any ladders and scaffolding showing signs of weakness or damage must be immediately repaired and not used until repairs are completed.
Scaffolding should not be used during storms or windy weather.
Every employee using scaffolding must receive safety training.

Tell Us What Happened

According to OSHA, more than 70 percent of scaffolding accidents could have been prevented if the employer had complied with OSHA standards.

Employers behave negligently when they don’t take the legal steps for accident prevention. If a worker loses his life because of negligence, his family may be able to file a New York wrongful death claim. To learn more, contact the New York construction accident attorneys at Siegel & Coonerty.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in a scaffolding or ladder accident, then call Siegel & Coonerty at 212-532-0532. We’ll schedule a free consultation with one of our New York City personal injury lawyers. During the meeting, an attorney will listen to your story and come up with a personalized plan to help you get the fair and reasonable monetary compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Siegel & Coonerty, LLP practice out of New York City and serve the greater New York City metro area, including the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx. We handle cases in the following New York counties: Bronx County, Queens County, Kings County, New York County, Richmond County, Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

Construction Accidents