Few jobs are more dangerous and hazardous than construction work. Falls from ladders, scaffolding, roofs and steel can cause serious and permanent injuries including fractures, spinal and brain trauma, paralysis and even death.
Sometimes, property owners and general contractors ignore safety concerns and focus only on finishing the construction project on time and within budget.
Fortunately for construction workers, there is protection under New York Labor Law Section 240. The law holds owners and general contractors absolutely liable if the law is violated by the failure to give a construction worker the safety devices needed to perform his or her work.
This law (sometimes called the “scaffold law”) makes an owner and general contractor accountable for defective or absent safety devices even if the owner or GC is not on the job site.
The lack of proper safety devices can put the construction worker in a “no win” situation; having to choose between taking a risk or losing his job. Even if you may be partially at fault for the accident, you can recover all of your damages if the owner or general contractor has violated Labor Law §240.
If you’re a victim of a fall or injury at a construction site, worker’s compensation benefits may not be enough to cover a lifetime of medical expenses and lost income. You need an attorney with experience in construction site injuries. Contact attorney Tim Higgins at Lemire & Higgins, LLC at 899-5700. The call and consultation are free.
Not all injuries on a construction site result from a falling worker or falling object. But the New York Labor Law still gives the injured worker the right to make a claim or file a lawsuit against the owner and general contractor, or any other contractor responsible for creating or not fixing the hazard or unsafe condition that led to the injury.
Claims and lawsuits under the New York Labor Law against owners and contractors are available to many workers in addition to a Worker’s Compensation claim.
An immediate and complete investigation of a construction site accident is often the difference between winning and losing your case. Witness statements, photographs, and other evidence must be collected as soon as possible.
If you’ve been hurt, don’t waste precious time. Contact attorney Tim Higgins at Lemire & Higgins, LLC at 899-5700 or tjh@lemirelawyers.com. The call and consultation are free. There is no attorney’s fee unless L&H recovers money for you.
