Queens Building Collapse Lawyer

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Were you injured when a building collapsed in Queens, NY? Contact our Queens building collapse lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC, give us a call at (718) 993-9999.

Whether you were on the job when the accident took place or were a bystander, you deserve compensation that makes up for your losses. Depending on the facts of your case, Oresky & Associates, PLLC can help you pursue a claim for your medical expenses, other financial losses, pain and suffering, and more.

We’ve been standing up for the rights of New York City accident victims since 1992. In that time, our construction accident lawyers have secured more than $400 million in compensation for our clients. With over 30 years of combined experience, you can trust that you’ll be in good hands if you select us to represent you.

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How Oresky & Associates, PLLC Can Help After a Building Collapse in Queens

Construction workers in New York City are given significant protections through state law. If you work in the industry and are injured during the course of your employment, you likely have a legal right to compensation. This generally means receiving workers’ compensation benefits, but it could also mean a third-party lawsuit. New York State tort law could give you the right to pursue a claim if you were simply an innocent passerby to the building collapse as well.

The bottom line is that you almost certainly have legal options after a building collapse in Queens, New York. Oresky & Associates is here to help you throughout the entire process. Our award-winning lead Queens construction accident lawyer, Jacob Oresky, has been recognized by Super Lawyers, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and was included in New York Magazine’s list of “New York’s Leading Personal Injury Lawyers.” We can help with your building collapse case by:

Thoroughly investigating your incident to determine your best course of action
Hiring expert witnesses if needed to bolster your claim
Taking care of your workers’ compensation claim from start to finish
Evaluating all of your damages and demanding fair compensation on your behalf
Negotiating a settlement agreement with the opposing party
Filing a lawsuit against the party responsible for your injuries if necessary

If you’re ready to get started or would like more information, contact our law office in Queens today to schedule a free case review.

How Often Do Buildings Collapse in New York City?

Construction accidents are quite common in NYC. The construction industry as a whole is one of the most dangerous to work in. According to a recent study by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), there were 502 construction-related injuries on building sites alone in 2020.

Building collapse incidents, in particular, happen more often than you might think. Here are just a few examples of recent building collapses in NYC:

April 2023 – Parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan
March 2023 – Wall collapse on a demolition site in SoHo
May 2021 – Elevator collapse in a Bronx building
December 2020 – Brick wall collapse in Sunset Park
July 2020 – Scaffolding collapse in a Murray Hill building
July 2020 – Building collapse in Carroll Gardens

If you’ve sustained injuries after a building collapse in NYC, our trusted personal injury attorneys in Queens, NY can fight for your rights and interests.

How Do I Recover Compensation After a Building Collapse in Queens, NY?

If you were injured as a construction employee when the building collapsed, you’ll likely be able to file a workers’ compensation claim. You can file this claim regardless of whose fault the incident was. However, there’s no guarantee that your claim will be accepted without issue. A Queens workers’ compensation lawyer can help ensure the process goes smoothly.

A tradeoff of the workers’ comp system is that you usually can’t sue your employer for damages. But if a third party (other than your employer) was responsible for the incident, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them for additional compensation. Importantly, this is the only way to recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.

If you were a bystander injured due to the building collapse, you may have a personal injury claim against whoever was at fault for the incident as well. In this situation, you may have the option to bring a claim under the theory of vicarious liability. This theory allows you to hold an employer liable for the actions of an employee.

What Damages Are Available To Me After a Queens Building Collapse Accident?

If you’re eligible to file a workers’ comp claim, you can receive financial assistance for:

Reasonable and necessary medical expenses
Temporary or permanent disability
Survivor benefits (if a loved one passed away due to the building collapse)

New York State tort law allows accident victims to recover two primary types of damages through a personal injury claim: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages include things like:

Lost wages
Medical bills
Out-of-pocket expenses
Rehabilitation and therapy
Decreased earning capacity

Examples of non-economic damages include:

Emotional distress
PTSD, depression, and other mental conditions
Pain and suffering
Scarring and disfigurement
Loss of consortium

Our Queens building collapse attorneys will work hard to evaluate all of the damages you are owed based on the specific facts of your case. Call us today to learn more about your options.

How Much Time Do I Have To File a Building Collapse Claim in New York State?

You must notify your employer within 30 days of the accident to receive workers’ comp benefits. From there, you’ll have two years from the accident date to file a workers’ compensation claim.

If you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party (or a liable third party), you’ll have three years to do so per the state’s statute of limitations.

Keep in mind that there are exceptions to these deadlines in some cases. It’s critical that you act quickly after a building collapse incident in Queens to protect your legal rights. We recommend reaching out to us as soon as you can to confirm the appropriate deadlines for your case.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With a Trusted Queens Building Collapse Attorney

Buildings collapse frequently in New York City, and the resulting injuries and damages can be traumatic, even terrifying. If this has happened to you, Oresky & Associates can help you pursue compensation for the consequences of the accident – whether you need to file a workers’ comp claim or a personal injury lawsuit.

Our Queens building collapse attorneys work for a contingency fee, meaning you can hire us at no upfront cost. We also only receive attorney’s fees if we settle or win your claim. In other words, we only get paid if you do.

Call today to set up your free, no-obligation consultation.