PRACTICE AREAS

Construction Site Accidents
New York Construction Accident

New York City Construction Site Accidents Lawyer

Construction workers understand the risks when they go to their work site each day, and, while they know the hazards associated with their jobs, they should also know if they are injured due to the negligence of an employer, contractor, or equipment manufacturer, they have rights.

Jobs in the construction industry are some of the most dangerous occupations. In 2018, New York City experienced its most dangerous year in the past 10 years and 2019 is not showing much, if any, improvement in lowering the number of worksite construction injuries and fatalities in NYC’s five boroughs.

If you or someone in your family was injured, or worse, because of an accident that occurred at a construction job site, the construction accident attorneys at O’Dwyer & Bernstien are here to help you. We will work hard to protect the rights of you or your loved ones, contact  Brian O’Dwyer ‚ a construction site accidents lawyer  at O’Dwyer & Bernstien Law Firm.

Types of NY Construction Work Site Accidents

One construction accident can affect one or many people. It can also have a devastating effect on the injured worker and his or her family. Dozens of different types of accidents and serious injuries can occur at construction sites every year, including, but not limited to the following types of construction site injuries.

Equipment-Related Accidents:

For example, heavy equipment, crane accidents, hoists, elevators, heavy machinery, forklift injuries, and defective equipment can lead to injury or death.

Vision and Hearing Loss

Many construction accidents are a result of hazards around the job site that could cause permanent vision and hearing loss.

Broken Bones:

These types of injuries often happen for being “caught-between” objects and hazards.

Structural-related Accidents:

These include slips and falls, collapsed buildings, unsteady or faulty floors, scaffolds, or other structures that can cause bodily harm.

Falling Objects

If proper safety guidelines, safety equipment, and precautionary techniques are not implemented employers and responsible property owners falling objects can be quite common on the construction worksite.

Lack Of Due Diligence:

This can include insufficient training, improper use of equipment, and lack of equipment maintenance provided by the employer.

Electrocution And Electrical Accidents

Numerous varieties of injuries can happen from multiple sources capable of delivering a high voltage of electricity.

Fires, Burns, And Explosions

Many construction sites expose workers to gases and other dangerous chemicals which can have devastating effects in the event of a spill or explosion. Welding burns, in particular, can be common in a personal injury lawsuit.

Heavy Lifting:

Heavey lifting accidents can contribute many back injuries resulting in a personal injury claim. Hundreds of other workers who survive these types of accidents are left with serious or permanent injuries. Sadly, many of these tragedies could be prevented if construction companies and contractors were to put worker safety over committing building violations by skimping corners to save money.

NYC Building Violations

Unfortunately, New York City sees far too many building violations every year. In fact, construction companies and contractors are notorious for their willingness to cut corners and put workers in harm’s way. Many are also not reporting accidents occurring on their job sites as required by law. City officials have begun initiatives to decrease accidents associated with these violations, but the intended results haven’t quite been realized.

Construction companies and general contractors should never skimp on cost measures to ensure these hazards are reduced as much as they can be. This behavior is unacceptable.

If you, or a loved one, has been injured while at a construction site, be sure to get prompt medical attention, report the injury to the site manager or employer, see if there were any witnesses, and, if possible, take any photographs of the site and the injury. Most importantly, call a new york construction accident lawyer as soon as possible. Your Manhattan attorney will instinctively know what steps to take after an injury and will know how to safeguard your rights.

Determining a Lawsuit for a Construction Site Accident

At O’Dwyer & Bernstien, our law firm attorneys are experts in construction-related accidents. The liability laws associated with construction accidents are complex. We are very familiar with the United States Federal, New York State, and New York City laws and how they can be applied to construction accident claims. We’ll carefully examine the information and come up with a strong legal strategy.

  • Documentation: Our injury lawyers will collect all the records related to your accident or wrongful death claim. This includes medical records, medical bills (hospital, doctor, and therapy bills), and insurance company/policy information. We’ll assemble all the information and use it to build your case.
  • Investigation: Once documentation of the construction injury is complete, our legal team will investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and uncover any evidence to support your injury claim.
  • Negotiation: After all the details surrounding the accident and injury have been compiled, we’ll negotiate with the defense to see what kind of compensation they are willing to give you without going to court.

If negotiation is unsuccessful, the dedicated construction site accident lawyer at O’Dwyer & Bernstien will prepare to bring your case to be presented at trial. We’ll aggressively fight for your rights to protect you and your family.

Types of Construction Accident Claims

Construction workers, or people working on their behalf, can file a lawsuit with one or more (if applicable) claims with the help of personal injury lawyers.

Personal injury:

This claim requires proof a third party was negligent which led to the accident and injury.

Wrongful death:

The family of a construction worker who was killed on the job may file a claim on the behalf of the loved one they’ve lost.

Product liability:

If a piece of construction equipment led to the accident causing the injury, the injured construction worker can file a claim against any party in the equipment’s chain of distribution. This could be a piece of heavy equipment, ladder, or power tool, to name a few. Any retailer, wholesaler, manufacturer, or another party may have been negligent.

Depending on the accident, claimants may be able to file more than one claim concurrently. Your attorney can determine the type of claim(s) that will apply to your situation.

How Our Construction Site Accidents Lawyers Can Help You

Insurance companies and negligent employers are not usually on your side, and many lack the safety measures their employees need. A skilled and experienced construction site accident lawyer will advocate for you to ensure you are compensated for your lost wages and medical expenses, along with your pain and suffering. We’ll listen to your side of the story, collect the details and circumstances surrounding your case, and fight for your rights.

The construction site accident lawyers at O’Dwyer & Bernstien law offices have been protecting and championing victim’s legal rights and their construction accident cases with over 100 years of experience.

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