Skilled Representation for Injured Construction Workers in Brooklyn
Construction workers in Brooklyn are unsung heroes. Although much of their work goes unnoticed behind the scenes, men and women who work in the construction industry provide essential services that have an enormous impact on our day-to-day lives. They repair our roads, lay pipes to provide access to clean water, build our bridges, skyscrapers, and the homes we live in.
Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the nation. If you or your loved one has been injured on a construction site, it is in your best interest to speak with a Brooklyn construction accident attorney as soon as possible.
What Types of Construction Work Can Lead to Accidents?
Accidents and injuries are common in many types of construction work, including:
- Scaffolding work: Scaffolds are temporary structures used in almost all major construction projects. They are built onsite to give workers elevation and access. Accidents related to scaffolding, including serious falls from heights, are responsible for approximately 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths a year, as reported by OSHA.
- Electrical work: In a recent year, 166 workers in the U.S. were killed by electrocution, as stated in an OSHA news release. Many more workers are injured by electrical exposure on worksites every year. Many of these deaths and injuries could be prevented with the use of proper protective equipment.
- Heavy machinery work: Tractors, cranes, forklifts, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment used in construction can cause serious injuries to workers. These machines are not only large and heavy, but also mobile. Workers can be crushed or seriously injured when heavy machinery turns over, drops heavy objects on them, traps their limbs, or crashes into other equipment.
- Trench work: To lay pipe, cables, or wires underground, construction workers must dig trenches and work in them for extended periods of time. If the ground shifts with continued work on the site, a trench can collapse, trapping and burying workers underneath. Trench cave-ins can cause crush injuries, bone fractures, and internal organ damage. They can also cause suffocation, brain damage, and death.
- Demolition work: Demolition is inherently dangerous work with unique hazards. Workers destroying existing structures are dealing with materials that may have unpredictable strengths or weaknesses and with structures that may have been modified after their original design and construction. Among other hazards, workers may be exposed to toxic materials, such as lead paint, asbestos, or silica. Construction companies can prevent demolition injuries by having surveys done, locating utility lines, and testing for hazardous materials before demolition begins.
What Types of Injuries Are Common in Construction Accidents?
Workers on construction sites can suffer a wide range of injuries, many of them severe. Common construction accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury and paralysis
- Severe burns
- Amputation
- Electrocution
- Bone fractures
- Crush injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Knee injuries
What Forms of Compensation Are Available for Construction Accident Injuries?
If you were injured on the job in Brooklyn, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ comp will cover your medical expenses related to the workplace accident and reimburse you for a portion of the wages lost during your recovery. Depending on the particular circumstances, you may be entitled to file a third-party lawsuit against a contractor, subcontractor, property owner, or manufacturer if that party’s negligence contributed to your accident and injuries.
Contact Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP at (212) 986-7353. Our seasoned Brooklyn personal injury trial lawyers have recovered millions in compensation for injured construction workers. In a free initial consultation, we can explain your options under the law.