New York City Falls From Height Accident Attorney

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The single biggest cause of workplace fatalities in the construction industry is falls from heights.

According to a NIOSH report, 42 percent of the fatalities from 1982 to 2015 on construction sites involved falls. More than half of the construction workers who were killed in these accidents did not have access to an individual fall arrest system.

Recent figures from OSHA reveal that in 2017 and 2018, falls from heights continues to be the prime cause of construction worker fatalities. It is therefore no surprise that the most frequently cited OSHA violation in 2017 was fall protection.

These statistics make one thing clear: Construction site owners and general contractors in New York City and elsewhere in the country are not prioritizing and managing the risk of falls from heights as they should. Profit motive often takes a priority over the dangers to the construction workers’ safety and well-being.

At Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP, we have a dedicated team of experienced construction accident personal injury lawyers who handle falls from heights cases with sharp insight and knowledge of New York laws. We will fight for your rights and do everything legally possible to win maximum damages on your behalf.

Risk of Injuries Caused by Falls from Heights

Construction workers are often required to operate at tall heights, and if a fall from height occurs, there is a likelihood that the resulting injury may be life-threatening.

While most other types of construction accidents may only injure one part of the body, falls from heights usually affect multiple body parts and vital organs or the whole body.

If the construction site fall occurs from a height of 30 feet or more, the chances of the victim’s survival are low. But sometimes even a fall from eight feet may prove to be deadly for the worker if he or she lands on the wrong body part or a sharp surface.

Neck injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries commonly occur as a result of falls from heights, and can leave the construction worker permanently disabled or even kill them. The irony is that most of these devastating and frequently occurring injuries are preventable.

Construction site owners, general contractors and sub-contractors have an added responsibility to ensure the safety of workers operating at dangerous, elevated heights. If these responsible parties fail in their duty of care, our experienced New York City personal injury attorneys at RMFW Law will work hard on behalf of the injured worker to establish liability.

Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff law firm has recovered more than $1 billion in damages for our clients over the years.

We have won the rightful damages for construction workers who suffered severe and permanent injuries, including head and spinal injuries. We have also recovered damages for wrongful death for the family members of construction workers killed in accidents such as falls from heights.

Types of Construction Site Falls from Heights

ROOF FALLS

In any type of construction work in New York City, falling from the roof is one of the most common types of falls. As the roof is usually under construction, it is not likely to have adequate barriers or protection around the edges of the roof. Property owners and contractors should provide for preventive solutions to minimize the risk of roof falls.

CRANE FALLS

Cranes are enormous in size and are extremely powerful machines that require specially trained operators to control them to perform construction work.

Unfortunately, crane operators can sometimes experience a severe fall from the top of a crane. In some cases, the crane might lose balance and topple over, resulting in a fall from heights and serious injuries to the crane operator and others in the vicinity.

SCAFFOLDING FALLS

Scaffolding is a common requirement when repair or construction of a large structure in New York City is underway. Scaffolds can reach significant heights, and it’s paramount to set them up correctly to ensure the safety of workers. Wrongly built scaffolding can cause the fall of workers from a height for no fault of theirs.

ELEVATOR SHAFT FALLS

Falling from an elevator shaft on a construction site can have deadly outcomes. While a rare miraculous escape may happen in such falls, in most cases even a plunge of 20 or 30 feet could be fatal for the victims.

Elevator shaft falls and injuries can be drastically reduced if building owners and contractors establish safety practices and provide correct training to the construction workers.

FLOORING HOLES ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

On a construction site, the flooring may have large gaps or holes. When these holes are not correctly marked, they can create a major safety hazard even for the most seasoned construction workers in New York City. Weak flooring or holes in the flooring are a serious risk, which requires proper attention of the property owners and the general contractor to safeguard the workers against falls from heights.

Importance of Labor Law Section 240

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to a fall from a height on a construction site in New York City, you should know your rights and the kind of compensation you may be entitled to as per the law.

Falls from heights and scaffolding accidents are covered under Section 240 of the Labor Law in New York. This law empowers you to sue the construction site owner and contractor if you have suffered injuries in a fall from height.

Let Our Experienced NYC Construction Accident Attorneys Help You!

At Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, we are committed to providing you the best possible legal advice and support, if you are the unfortunate injured victim in a fall from height on a construction site. If the negligence of a third party is involved, you might be entitled to damages beyond the basic workers’ compensation in New York.

Our competent construction injury lawyers will spare no effort to hold the parties accountable whose negligence may have resulted in your accident. We do not charge a fee unless we recover a compensation for you. To schedule a free, no-obligations consultation, call us today at 212-344-1000 or contact us online.