Construction Accidents

By its very nature, construction is a dangerous job. Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine have established their desire for safe working conditions at construction sites by strongly advocating New York’s scaffolding law. We’ve also represented workers who have suffered from injuries due to construction accidents, including brain, back and neck injuries, disfigurement, paraplegia, quadriplegia, amputation, disfigurement and other permanent disabilities. Construction workers offer their employers their very best under dangerous conditions. If the time comes for your employers to reciprocate, and you feel that you aren’t getting what you deserve, call Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine today. Se habla espanol.

Construction ACCIDENT LAWYERs for New York City, Long Island, and the Greater New York Area

The personal injury law firm of Rappaport Glass Greene & Levine LLP has always held a deep respect for the work ethic of construction workers and an admiration for the many risks to life and limb that they accept every day in order to get the job done. Our firm has always been a strong advocate of protecting and promoting laws that provide safer working conditions for New York’s construction workers, and offering the best legal representation available when a construction worker suffers serious injury or death on the job.

Through the years, our firm has won awards and settlements for many injured construction workers in New York. Those injuries have been wide ranging, and have included brain injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, quadriplegia, paraplegia, amputation, disfigurement, emotional injury, and other significant disabilities. Because construction workers often perform demolition work and excavation on older buildings, they are also the most common victims of toxic exposure to dangerous substances, such as asbestos. These types of life-lasting injuries and illnesses aren’t adequately covered by New York’s workers’ compensation laws, and a worker has a right to have an experienced New York construction accident lawyer investigate an accident in an effort to understand every possible cause of his or her injury.

Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time on a construction site. Many of our past clients have suffered injuries in accidents resulting from:

Falls from or through roofs of buildings
Being run over and crushed by construction equipment
Falls from structures other than roofs, such as scaffoldings, ladders or windows
Collisions with motor vehicles
Mechanical defects in lifting and operational equipment
Fires and explosions involving severe burns
Trench collapses that bury workers in soil

New York’s Scaffold Law: A Legal Safety Net for New York’s Construction Workers

As home to many of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, New York has had a remarkably low injury and mortality rate among construction workers during its history when compared to other cities in the United States. A big reason for this is New York’s Scaffold Law, created in 1885, which has saved countless lives during the past 120 years. An important excerpt from the Scaffold Law reads as follows:

“A person employing or directing another to perform labor of any kind in the erection, repairing, altering, painting, cleaning or pointing of a building or structure shall furnish or erect, or cause to be furnished or erected for the performance of such labor, scaffolding, hoists, stays, ladders, slings, hangers, blocks, pulleys, braces, irons, ropes and other mechanical contrivances which shall be so constructed, placed and operated as to give proper protection to a person so employed or directed…” (1921 amendment)

What the Scaffold Law essentially does is require contractors and owners of construction sites to provide harnesses and other safety equipment to construction workers laboring at high elevations, and to enforce the use of this equipment among site workers. When falls from high elevations result in injury or death to a construction worker, and it is found that the contractor and/or owner failed to provide the necessary safety equipment, or did not enforce its use, then the contractor and/or owner is legally liable for the injuries or deaths caused in such falls.

Despite the obvious safety benefits that the Scaffold Law creates for New York’s construction sites, large construction companies and contractors have financed several attempts to overturn it over the years, usually arguing that the law is antiquated and has no place in the modern construction landscape. Today more than ever, contractors and construction companies believe the Scaffold Law should be removed, and that construction workers laboring hundreds of feet off the ground should do so at their own risk.

At RGG&L, we strongly disagree. The Scaffold Law is as important today as it has ever been. Many of New York’s construction workers are day laborers and immigrants from Latin America or Asia, with little to no understanding of English, let alone the laws that protect them. Construction companies hire them because they work hard and do dangerous tasks, often for far less money than they deserve. Construction companies also know that they don’t question authority, and that taking away one of the few rights they have for their safety will meet little resistance from these hard working men and women.

It is up to concerned attorneys knowledgeable about the many hazards of construction work to help preserve the rights to safer working conditions for construction workers. The law firm of RGG&L counts itself among these attorneys. As members of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, many of our attorneys took part in drafting the NYSTLA’s position paper, New York’s ‘Scaffold Law’: An Essential Protection for Immigrant Construction Workers. We encourage you to read that document for more information about the importance of preserving the Scaffold Law.

Blog for Construction Accidents

Library for Construction Accidents:

Forklift Accidents & New York Construction Injuries
Description: Thousands of people are killed each year in forklift accidents. Common causes of forklift accidents include improper training of the driver, improper maintenance of the equipment, and failure to obey safety rules. If you or a loved one have been injured in a New York forklift accident, call the experienced Manhattan accident attorneys at RGG&L today.
New York Construction Injuries from Falling Objects
Description: Construction sites are dangerous places, and falling object injuries such as concussions, broken bones, and head trauma can be caused by falling tools, lumber, and debris. Some of the common causes of construction related falling object injuries include improper training, bad lighting or weather, and negligent contractors/subcontractors. Call us today if you have been injured on a New York construction site.
How to Avoid a Serious Scaffolding Accident
Description: Read this article to learn important safety tips to avoid construction accidents caused by scaffolding. If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York construction accident that you believe was caused by negligence, you should contact an experienced New York construction accident lawyer at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445.
Preventing Falls at Construction Sites
Description: Falls are a leading cause of injury within the construction industry. Read this article to learn important tips to help prevent fall accidents. If you have been injured in a construction accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact a New York construction attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
Five Common Types of Construction Accidents
Description: Learn more about the five common types of construction accidents in this article. If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, contact an experienced New York construction accident attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445.
Electrical Accidents on Construction Sites Can Be Deadly
Description: Electrical accidents on construction sites are often deadly. This article discusses the dangers on construction sites and the types of injuries sustained from electrical accidents. Contact an experienced New York construction accident attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 if you or a loved one has sustained a work injury.
Construction Accident Can Lead to a Serious Arm Injury
Description: Construction accidents can lead to all sorts of injuries, including arm injury. This article discusses arm injuries, including the symptoms and diagnosis. If you have been injured in a New York construction accident, contact the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
Traumatic Amputation is a Life Changing Work Injury
Description: A serious construction accident can lead to a traumatic amputation. This article discusses cases involving the loss of a limb resulting from a work accident. Contact a New York construction accident attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine for legal advice regarding your work injury.
New York Construction Workers at Risk of Heat Stroke
Description: As the temperatures rise in New York, so does the risk of construction workers suffering serious heat-related illnesses. This article discusses heat stress from working on a New York construction site and provides tips for employers. Contact a New York construction accident attorney at the law office of Rappaport, Glass, Greene & Levine, LLP at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
New York Crane Accidents – Who is Responsible?
Description: A New York crane accident can lead to serious injuries and death. This article discusses these tragic construction accidents and who can be held responsible. Contact a New York construction accident attorney today at Rappaport, Glass, Greene & Levine, LLP at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
The Biggest Danger on Construction Sites
Description: Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine is a New York Injury Law Firm that has dedicated it's practice to helping those who have been injured in accidents due to no fault of their own. A big part of our practice involves representing those who have been injured in Construction Accidents in New York. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine for a free legal consultation today.
Construction Fatalities in New York
Description: Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine is a New York Construction Injury Law Firm that helps injured laborers all over New York City receive compensation that is a realistic reflection of both the hard work that they do and the pain that they have suffered. It is unfortunate that construction workers should even have to acquire legal counsel in order to receive fair treatment, but insurance companies are notorious for denying claims and offering low settlements in order to maximize their profits. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident anywhere in New York City, including the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island or Long Island, contact the Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine for a free legal consultation today.
With Construction Safety, Passing the Buck is NOT an Option
Description: Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine is a New York-based injury law firm. We offer legal assistance to those who have suffered injuries due to no fault of their own. Every day, construction workers put their safety at risk to earn a living, and when injuries occur, it is in their best interest to find experienced and dedicated legal counsel. Insurance companies have proven time and time again that they are more interested in keeping their profits healthy than offering fair compensation to injured workers. At Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine, we fight hard for the injured, and with offices in Manhattan and Long Island we can assist workers in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and the entire New York City area. If you have been injured in a construction accident, contact the law offices of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine today for a free case assessment.
Jobsite Eye Injuries: How to Avoid Them
Description: The New York Injury Law Firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine are currently accepting cases from those who have been injured in construction accidents. Vision loss and eye damage are a real danger on any construction site, and the loss of vision in one or both eyes can be a permanently life altering event. If you or a loved one has suffered from an eye injury on the construction site in Manhattan , Brooklyn, Long Island or anywhere in New York, contact our offices for a free legal consultation today. We can provide you with aggressive legal consultation and push for emotional damages, lost future earnings and emotional distress as well as payment for medical bills and other damages.
The Crane Collapse Epidemic
Description: At Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine, we live in New York City just like you do, and our lives are in just as much danger due to faulty cranes. We take construction accidents very seriously, as the people who get injured could be our family, neighbors and friends. It is our job to see that our clients are treated fairly by contractors and insurance companies, which means that we always strive to obtain the highest level of compensation for them.
Preventable Accidents in the Job Site
Description: As the recent crane collapse has shown, construction is dangerous work. Contact Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine for a free legal consultation today.
The Same Injuries Over and Over Again
Description: Construction accidents seem to be happening for the same reasons over and over again.
Site Manager Confessions: How Some Construction Companies Bypass Workers' Comp
Description: An interview with a construction site manager reveals that some construction companies feel the same way about insurance companies as the rest of us do.