Construction work is dangerous. Contractors and project owners are required by the law to provide workers with proper protection including safety harnesses and life lines.
Too often, unfortunately, those responsible don’t do everything they ought to do to protect workers, which makes the work even more risky.
Whether the reason is speed, preoccupation with profit, or carelessness, when they cut corners when it comes to safety, the workers are the ones who potentially pay the price. When workers are hurt, the results can be catastrophic.
If you are a construction worker who has been injured on the job, you should talk to an experienced New York construction injury lawyer about your situation.
A pair of unrelated Sept. 21 construction accidents both potentially demonstrated how safety shortcomings can have tragic outcomes. In the first of the two fatal accidents, Juan fell nearly 29 stories to his death while working on a luxury waterfront condominium project in the Financial District.
According to an NBC New York report, fire officials stated that Juan was wearing a harness when he died, but his harness wasn’t attached to a safety line, which allowed him to fall more than 250 feet.
Hours later, another worker died. Two electricians, working on a new skyscraper being built in Midtown, were working in a bucket lift when they both fell from that lift to the ground, a distance of roughly 35 feet.
The men, each 45 years old, were taken to the hospital. One, who witnesses said landed on his side, was declared in stable condition.
The other, who witnesses described as falling face forward, was pronounced dead. Similar to Juan’s situation, city officials indicated that the workers, both electricians, were wearing harnesses, but they were not tied off, according to Patch.com.
Fatal construction injuries like these are life-altering events for the families left behind by the workers’ deaths.
Certainly, no amount of money can fill the gap created by the loss of a loved one, but it is undeniable that such deaths create substantial financial hardship.
Juan’s cousin Angel described him to the New York Daily News as a hard-working immigrant who came to this country to support his five children. Many times, construction workers killed on the job are primary breadwinners, and the financial impact of their loss on their families is extreme.
There are various ways to proceed in a construction injury case
When such events take place, the law gives the families the right to hold those responsible accountable and seek damages to help provide the support the families lost due to the deaths of their loved ones.
There are several avenues to seek compensation through legal action in New York in a construction accident case. The New York Labor Law lists several obligations contractors and project owners have when it comes to worker safety. Failing to fulfill these obligations can entitle the injured worker (or the worker’s survivors) to financial compensation.
These are just a few of the legal avenues that exist. Skilled legal counsel can help you assess all of your options.
More Blog Posts:
- Scaffolding Accidents, What You Need to Know
- Will Your Immigration Status and Use of an Alias Prevent You From Pursuing a Construction Accident Case? New York Courts Say ‘No’
- The Fatal Four—the Most Common Causes of Accidental Death on a Construction Site
Photo credit: 12019 [CC0 License], at Pixabay.com
Contact Our Construction Accident Law Firm in Bronx, NY
If you’ve been hurt in a construction accident or are a survivor of a worker killed in a construction accident, reach out right away to the diligent New York City construction accident attorneys at the law offices of Jacob Oresky.
Our attorneys have been helping injured workers (and the loved ones of workers killed in accidents) throughout the New York metro area, including Westchester County and Long Island, for over 30 years. Our team prides itself on providing knowledgeable and compassionate representation to all of our clients.
If you need legal assistance, contact the Bronx construction accident lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation. Contact us online or call our office. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Bronx Office
149 E 149th St
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 993-9999
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Queens Office
104-09 Roosevelt Ave
Queens, NY 11368
(347) 507-3884
