Injured on the Job as a Longshore or Harbor Worker in NYC?

If you work as a longshoreman or harbor worker, you know that your job can be dangerous. Unfortunately, injuries on the job are all too common in this line of work. If you've been injured on the job, you need an experienced New York City harbor worker injury lawyer who can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Longshoremen and harbor workers are responsible for loading and unloading ships at docks and ports. This work can be very physically demanding, and injuries are not uncommon. Common injuries include sprains, strains, and back injuries. If you've been injured on the job, don't try to handle everything on your own. Harbor workers and longshoreman cases can become highly complex and involve maritime laws and matters that must be handled by an experienced injury attorney. Without legal help, insurance adjusters often take advantage of the injured worker and he or she never sees the compensation they are due. Call us today at (212) 986-7353 to speak with an experienced New York City personal injury attorney.

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Common Accidents for Longshoreman and Harbor Workers

Some common accidents that longshoremen and other dock workers may be susceptible to include:

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Who is at Fault for Longshoreman and Harbor Worker Accidents?

In many cases, it is the employer who is responsible for providing a safe work environment. There are also laws in place to protect workers, such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. This act provides benefits to workers who are injured on the job, regardless of who is at fault.

If you are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

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Who is Covered Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act?

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal law that provides benefits to workers who are injured while working in maritime or longshore settings. The LHWCA is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The LHWCA covers a wide range of workers, including:

  • Longshore workers who load and unload ships
  • Shipbuilders and ship repairers
  • Dockworkers and pier side workers
  • People who work on offshore oil rigs

To be covered under the LHWCA, a worker must be engaged in maritime employment, which is defined as any work “performed on navigable waters or adjoining areas customarily used by ships.”

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Types of Compensation

The LHWCA provides benefits for:

  • Lost wages
  • Medical care costs
  • Vocational rehabilitation services

This coverage can help you if you're injured while working on the navigable waters of the United States or if you contract an occupational disease.

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Why Hire an Attorney from Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP?

There are many good reasons to hire an experienced NYC attorney from Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP if you have been injured in an accident that may involve the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA). We have a proven track record of success in handling these types of claims, and our attorneys have been rated "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating for both ethical standards and legal ability. With over 50 years of collective experience, our attorneys have won hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for our clients.

If you have been injured while working on the docks, in a shipyard, or in any other maritime environment, you may be entitled to benefits, however, obtaining these benefits can be difficult, as insurance companies and employers often try to minimize or deny claims. That's where we come in. Our experienced lawyers will fight for you to get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (212) 986-7353, so we can help you better understand your best course of action.

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Our Construction Accident Case Results

$18 Million - Verdict for Construction Worker Who Fell from a Defective Scaffold

The laborer fell three stories from a defective scaffold and suffered comminuted fractures of his left calcaneus, osteomyelitis in the left heel and a painful neuroma in his foot.

Philip Russotti

$11.76 Million - Labor Law Construction Accident with Single-Level Lumbar Fusion

Frank Lombardo obtained $11.76 million in Queens County for a seriously injured Union Local No. 1 journeyman plumber.

Frank Lombardo

$11.1 Million - NY Construction Worker Fell from Ladder

Phil Russotti obtained an $11.1 million verdict in Queens County Supreme Court, for a 53 year old man who was injured on a construction site at a New York City High School.

Philip Russotti

$8.2 Million - New York Construction Worker Paralyzed in Fall

Plaintiff, a 40 year-old, undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was working off the books for a roofing contractor when he fell through a hole in the first floor of a one family home he was working in.

Kenneth Halperin, Philip Russotti

$7.25 Million - Defective Scaffolding Injury in New York

Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP attorneys Phil Russotti and Ken Halperin settled the case of a union-affiliated painter in his 40s, who was injured while working at a chemical storage facility.

Kenneth Halperin, Philip Russotti

$6.5 Million - Carpenter Injured from Fall at Jobsite

David M. Hoffman obtained a settlement of $6,500,000 for a client who was injured in a fall on a jobsite resulting in suffered serious and permanent trauma to his head.

David Hoffman

$6.5 Million - Serious Fall by Undocumented Laborer

Konstantin Burshteyn successfully represented a client, an undocumented laborer from El Salvador, who was seriously injured in a fall while working as a roofer.

Konstantin Burshteyn

$6.4 Million - Injured Union Concrete Workers

WRSMH attorneys obtained a total of $6,400,000 for multiple cases involving injured union concrete workers who were hurt on a construction site.

Noah Katz, Michael Zisser

$5.9 Million - Construction Worker Struck by a Falling Object

Carmine Goncalves obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a union construction worker, who sustained injuries after being struck by a falling object.

Carmine Goncalves

$5.75 Million - Day Laborer Injured at Construction Site

50-year-old day laborer injured at his job site, an apartment building in the Bronx.

Bryce Moses

$5.75 Million - Falling Beam Injuries on Construction Site

The firm successfully represented a construction worker who sustained injuries which required multiple surgeries after he was struck by a falling beam while working on a construction site.

William Hepner

$5.4 Million - Faulty Chain Harness Drops Worker from Building

WRSMH attorneys represented a client, a concrete worker, who suffered serious injuries in a fall while performing his job.

Carmine Goncalves, Erin Hurley

$5.3 Million - Non-Union Construction Worker Injured by Table Saw

The firm successfully represented a non-union construction worker who was seriously injured while operating a table saw which lacked a safety guard.

Noah Katz

$5 Million - Staten Island Construction Worker Killed When Trench Walls Collapse

Clifford Shapiro and Kenneth Halperin worked together to obtain a $5,000,000.00 settlement for the family of a construction worker who was killed while working in a trench at a construction site on Staten Island.

Clifford Shapiro, Kenneth Halperin

$5 Million - Worker Injured in Trench Fall at Construction Site

David M. Hoffman obtained a settlement of $5,000,000 for a client who sustained multiple injuries after falling into an unprotected trench at a construction site.

David Hoffman

$4.9 Million - Bridge Painter Falls Through Open Scaffold Above Roadway

Our client, a union bridge painter, suffered multiple injuries after a fall from an open scaffold above a roadway in New York.

Carmine Goncalves

$4.5 Million - Non-Union Laborer Injured in Construction Site Fall

Attorneys obtained a pre-trial settlement in the amount of $4.5 million for a non-union laborer who fell through an opening on the first floor into a cellar below a Manhattan high-rise building under construction.

Noah Katz, Kenneth Halperin

$4.5 Million - Worker Injured in Slip and Fall on Construction Site

Carmine Goncalves and Bryce Moses obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a construction worker, who sustained multiple injuries in a workplace fall.

Carmine Goncalves, Bryce Moses

$4.5 Million - Union Bridge Painter Injured in Fall

Frank J. Lombardo and Carmine Goncalves obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a union bridge painter, who sustained multiple injuries in a workplace accident.

Frank Lombardo, Carmine Goncalves

$4.5 Million - Union Carpenter Struck By Falling Object

Frank Lombardo and Ross Barbour successfully represented a 58-year-old union carpenter who was injured when he was struck by a falling object.

Frank Lombardo, Ross Barbour

Click here to see more NY Construction Accident Verdicts & Settlements