Bottar Leone, PLLC, represents workers injured on the job throughout the State of New York. Over the course of nearly three decades, the Firm has dedicated a significant portion of its practice to applying special New York State laws to recover losses for men and women injured in workplace, construction and industrial accidents. Our efforts in this regard have earned our attorneys lifetime memberships in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®.
Workplace Accidents, Construction Accidents, and Industrial Accidents
A majority of the accidents that occur in the United States happen at the workplace. The construction industry has one of the highest worker injury rates of any industry, making construction accidents among the most common incidents and, because construction work can be dangerous, construction workers often suffer serious and permanent injuries.
Long ago, the New York State Legislature created special laws to protect construction workers from on-the-job injuries. The laws, known as “Labor Laws,” cover workers (from anywhere) who are injured while working within New York State. Simply put, New York’s Labor Laws hold a property owner and general contractor strictly liable for any injuries to a worker caused by a safety violation on a jobsite. Fully aware that property owners and contractors may cut corners at the expense of safety, the Legislature wanted to ensure that New York was a safe place to work for those engaged in certain activities, including construction, excavation and demolition.
Construction site accidents and workplace injuries can occur in an unlimited number of ways. Over nearly three decades, our team of New York construction accident attorneys has investigated and prosecuted a constellation of workplace personal injury cases, including those arising out of:
- construction site falls;
- falls from a ladder;
- falls from a scaffold;
- falls from a roof;
- falls from any height;
- crane collapse;
- building collapse;
- utility pole defects;
- trench cave-ins;
- falling objects;
- crush injuries;
- confined spaces (i.e., asphyxiation);
- collapse of machinery;
- construction machinery accidents;
- construction vehicle accidents;
- construction equipment accidents;
- construction traffic accidents;
- construction fires and explosions;
- heavy equipment accidents;
- industrial machine accidents;
- utility worker injury;
- scaffolding accidents;
- fires;
- explosions;
- electrical shock;
- electrocution; and
- toxic chemical exposure.
New York’s unique Labor Law holds property owners and contractors liable because they are in the best position to ensure worker safety by making sure that jobsites are equipped with appropriate safety devices. Examples of property owner liability under the Labor Law include:
- a property owner’s responsibility for injuries sustained by a laborer in a scaffolding collapse;
- a mine owner’s responsibility for injuries sustained by a lineman working from a utility pole that snapped at the base due to dry rot;
- a property owner’s responsibility for the death of a lumberjack killed by a falling tree;
- a general contractor’s responsibility for injuries sustained by an electrician who fell down icy stairs in a roofless home under construction; and
- a silo owner’s responsibility for the asphyxiation death of a subcontractor working inside a silo.
Statistically, most on-the-job injuries are minor. The typical construction-related injury requires an average of one week of missed work followed by a period of restricted duty. However, workplace accidents can result in permanent disability and wrongful death. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, more than 1,000 construction workers are killed each year while working.
Work related injuries, or the death of a loved one, can create financial and emotional hardships for the injured worker and his or her family. While Workers Compensation provides some benefits to an injured worker, if you or a loved one has been injured at a workplace due to the negligence of anyone other than a co-worker, you may be entitled to additional compensation through a “third-party” lawsuit for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
To learn about how to protect your rights, it is critical that you speak with a personal injury attorney with experience handling construction accident claims. In recent years, New York State’s Labor Laws have been under attack by powerful insurance companies. While property owners and contractors still have a duty to provide a safe place to work, the Labor Laws are no longer as favorable to the worker. Yearly changes in how courts interpret the Labor Laws make it critical that your attorney know how to investigate and prove your case. Inexperienced attorneys may miss an opportunity to use available evidence and case law to maximize your statutory right to recovery.
Bottar Leone, PLLC, knows New York’s Labor Law. Our legal team has nearly three decades of experience prosecuting claims for workplace accidents, construction accidents and industrial accidents. To speak with one of our New York construction accident lawyers about your questions and concerns, contact us by telephone at (315) 422-3466 or 1-800-336-LAWS, or by email at info@bottarlaw.com.
Related Information:
A New York Personal Injury Lawyer Who Fights for You
Find the Right New York Personal Injury Lawyer
New York Premises Liability Lawyers
New York Roadway Structure Failure Lawyers
New York Product Liability Lawyers
Personal Injury, Accidents, and Wrongful Death
Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Injuries
