New York Construction Accident Statute of Limitations

Deadlines to File a Work Injury Claim in New York

When you’ve suffered a catastrophic construction accident, the initial focus is on medical care and treatment. While you may not be in a condition to consider the legal aspects of your injury, under the New York statute of limitations, you have limited time in which to file a lawsuit.

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What Is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in New York City?

If you’ve been injured working construction in New York, there are four critical deadlines you need to be aware of:

• Informing your employer: If you are seeking workers’ compensation benefits, you must notify your employer of an injury within 30 days of the incident.
• Filing a workers’ compensation claim: As long as you’ve notified your employer on time, you then have two years to file for workers’ compensation benefits.
• Filing a lawsuit: If you plan to file a third party lawsuit or were not covered by workers’ compensation and you plan to sue your employer, you have three years from the date of the injury to file your claim or lawsuit.
• If a loved one has died on the job: If you have a loved one that has died while working construction, you have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

The statute of limitations starts on the date of the accident or injury. Ensure you undergo a full medical evaluation after an injury on the job.

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Exceptions to the Statute of Limitations

Under specific and rare circumstances, the statute of limitations may be modified, such as:

• Injury or illness from long-term exposure: In some cases, injuries and illnesses occur gradually through absorption, inhalation, contact, injection, or infection. In these cases, you have three years from the date the injury or disease was discovered.
• Suing a government entity: If your construction accident occurred as the result of negligence by a government agency or employee, you just 90 days to file a claim with the appropriate agency.

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Construction Accidents Are More Common Than You Might Think

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one out of every five deaths in the workplace occurs on construction sites, with over 5,200 workers losing their lives each year. Further, construction workers are the third most likely to suffer an injury or illness that takes them off the job. Factually speaking, construction accidents, both fatal and nonfatal, happen every day of the week, 365 days per year.

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Why You Need an Attorney as Soon as Possible

Construction sites are, by their nature, rapidly changing environments, and critical evidence for your claim or your case can be lost in a matter of days. While your priority after an injury is the necessary medical care, your next step should be contacting a construction accident attorney. The earlier your attorney is involved, the more evidence can be collected and preserved. Eyewitnesses can be contacted and interviewed before they move on to another job and while their memories are fresh.

One of the key benefits of having a lawyer is peace of mind. When you’re recovering from an injury or grieving over the loss of a loved one, the last thing you need to be worrying about is legal filings. If our NY construction accident attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, take your case, you can be confident it will be managed with professionalism, exceptional legal skills, and dedication.

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Let Us Help You Today

Our team at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, is comprised of veteran trial lawyers who have spent the better part of 50 years protecting the rights of victims of construction injuries. Our attorneys routinely recover millions of dollars in compensation for our clients and hold records of the top jury verdicts awarded in New York City. We offer a no-cost initial consultation where we will answer your questions. If we represent you, you can be confident that we will devote all the needed finances and resources to seeking the maximum compensation. Contact us today at (212) 986-7353 for a free initial consultation.

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