NYC & WESTCHESTER SCAFFOLD ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS &
NYC LADDER ACCIDENT LAWYERS
THE LADDER LAW
OUR SCAFFOLD AND LADDER ACCIDENT LAWYERS ARE ON YOUR SIDE
Many New York construction workers are not aware of the protections that New York’s Labor Law 240 provides and mistakenly think that all they are entitled to is workers compensation benefits. Our NYC & Westchester Scaffold and Ladder Accident lawyers know that New York's Labor Law 240, provides injured construction workers with rights, in addition to workers compensation and allows them to sue for pain and suffering, lost wages, disability, and even for a reduced earning capacity. That means if you were injured and cannot work construction any more, you are entitled to be compensated for your loss of your ability to earn the wages of a construction worker. If you are looking for a New York construction accident attorney, call our firm first.
CAN I SUE IF I GOT HURT AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE BECAUSE OF A BAD LADDER OR SCAFFOLD
Our New York City construction accident lawyers and Westchester County Scaffold and Ladder accident lawyers are well versed in Labor Law 240, which is also known as the New York Ladder Law. Workplace accidents involving broken or defective Scaffolds, Planks and Ladders account for a large number of personal injury and death cases in New York. Another very common type of accidents that account for personal injuries and deaths is falls from an unprotected height, such as when workers are working on a bridge, roof, or in an elevator shaft. Whether you fell from a ladder or a material or tool was dropped on you, our New York construction accident attorneys know that New York Labor Law 240, protects workers involved in painting, power washing, repairs, construction, alteration, demolition, commercial cleaning, and window washing, among other activities who fall because of an inadequate ladder or scaffold or because they were not given harnesses and safety lines. The Labor Law makes it the responsibility of the worksite's general contractor and the property owner to make sure that construction workers have safe equipment and it does not matter if your boss provided the equipment. Our New York City construction accident lawyers know that if you get hurt on a job site, because your ladder broke, had a broken rung, was unsteady, was unsecured or not the right ladder for the job, then you can sue the general contractor and the property owner. To discuss your case, call our New York City construction, ladder and scaffold accident lawyers, today for a free consultation.
In New York, whenever a worker has to work at an elevated work site, there is a danger of a fall. Our Manhattan construction accident lawyers know that a fall at work because of an unsafe ladder or scaffold can have catastrophic and even fatal results. The saddest part is that most of these accidents are preventable and workers don't need to get hurt for no reason. Several of the workers in New York City trades who work constantly with ladders and scaffolds are often placed at risk including electricians, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Mechanics (HVAC), Carpenters, Plumbers, Bridge workers, Ironworkers, Steam Fitters, Power Washers, Window Washers, Painters and laborers. For over two decades our NYC Scaffold and Ladder accident lawyers in Manhattan and our Westchester County construction accident lawyers have represented injured construction workers because of bad ladders, scaffolds and inadequate or missing fall protection.
Our New York Ladder accident lawyers who represent injured construction workers have the industrial experience and knowledge to uncover the cause of your ladder or scaffold accidents. Our New York ladder law attorneys have won hundreds of serious personal injury cases involving dangerous scaffolds and ladders. The New York ladder Law applies to ladders, scaffolds and even make shift devices such as planks, pump jack scaffolds, as well as any device used to elevate a worker. If you were injured while performing a repair, while doing construction painting, window washing, power washing or commercial cleaning, don't just assume the accident was your fault. Under New York law, the owner of the property and the general contractor (for construction sites) is responsible to ensure that you have adequate ladders, planks and safe means to do your work. So if you were working and got hurt because a scaffold collapsed, moved or the plank broke because there was too much weight from either debris or materials, then Labor Law 240 was violated and you have a right to sue. Likewise if your were using a jack hammer or drill or other cutting machinery and the scaffold moved from vibration and collapsed, then your injury was caused by a violation of Labor Law 240 because you were not provided with a scaffold that was suitable for the type of work that you had to do. Our Westchester construction site accident attorneys and New York City construction scaffold accident attorneys know that you have the right to go home when your shift ends, and if you have to go to the hospital because you weren't given a safe scaffold, ladder or life line, the accident was not your fault. For any type of personal injury sustained on a construction site, our New York construction accident attorneys have the experience to win your case.
Inadequate Ladders And Scaffolds
Our NYC Scaffold Accident Lawyers and Westchester construction accident attorneys know that there are many reasons a ladder or scaffold can be dangerous. Of the many reasons a ladder or scaffold can be dangerous is that the Scaffold or Ladder is broken or improperly assembled. For example, a ladder can have a broken rung which causes it to bend under the worker's weight or it can be missing a rubber footing which causes it to be unsteady and shift. Another common accident that our Manhattan ladder accident lawyers see is that the wrong ladder is provided for the job.
In general New York has regulations which required that when ladders are used to transport workers or materials between floors, the ladder must extend beyond the upper floor. This is because it is dangerous to stand on the top step or for a worker to try and lower himself down onto a ladder. So if you fell on a construction site because the ladder you had to work with was too short for the job you had to do, then you have a case. New York recognizes that construction workers have the right to a ladder or scaffold that protects them and if you get hurt because of unsafe or inadequate equipment, the law was violated.
INADEQUATE SCAFFOLD PLANKS
Our NYC construction accident lawyers know that all too often scaffolds have wood or planks that are under specification and break under the weight of the worker and their materials. An overloaded scaffold with material, equipment and tools is also an accident waiting to happen. Another common problem is the falling debris strikes the scaffold and causes the scaffold to collapse with the worker on it. Often pump jack scaffolds use sub–standard or sub–grade wood, which collapse and cause serious personal injury and even death to the worker who was just trying to earn a paycheck. Our New York City on the job accident lawyers have worked closely with wood experts to prove that the wood used was not sufficient for use as a supporting structure. Our Westchester construction accident lawyers and N.Y.C. construction injury attorneys have seen it all.
Unsecured Ladders And Scaffolds
Another common cause of work place accidents for construction workers, window washers, painters and commercial washers is an unsecured ladder or scaffold. These accidents occur when workers who perform work at heights of over ten feet, work on ladders which are not tied off, do not have hooks, or which are not secured and are not being held by another worker or a securing device. Many times on straight ladders, the bottom portion that is supposed to keep the ladder in place doesn't work properly. If that happens and other worker wasn't assigned to hold the ladder, then that is a violation of Labor Law 240. Another common accident that our White Plains construction accident lawyers see is accidents were straight ladders are placed against the side of the building and the ladder slips and the worker falls. If the ladder was not tied at the top to hold the ladder in place, then the Labor Law was violated.
These common causes of worker personal injury are completely avoidable. Personal injury resulting from an improperly placed ladders, planks and scaffolds render the owner or general contractor liable to compensate the injured worker for his injuries.
Improper Placement of Ladders
Often ladders are placed on slippery surfaces, or close to live wires resulting in electrical shocks. Also planks which are laid loose or placed on unsecured ladders are equally dangerous causes of accidents involving personal injury. Labor Law 240 requires that ladders be properly placed and if you were injured because of a ladder that was placed on a surface that was slippery, then Labor Law 240 was violated.
FALL PROTECTION IS REQUIRED AT
DANGEROUS HEIGHTS
Construction workers often have to work at dangerous and unprotected heights or have to work over hazardous openings. If you were injured from a fall at a height over six feet, then you probably needed fall protection and if you were forced to work at a dangerous height without fall protection, then you can sue under Labor Law 240. In New York, construction workers at risk for dangerous falls and need fall protection include roofers, H.V.A.C., heating ventilation and air conditioning workers especially when running duct work in the ceiling and electricians, especially those who run wires in the ceiling. Other common examples of workers who need fall protection include workers who are always doing structural work at heights, including iron workers, plumbers and bride workers. New York law requires that these workers have lanyards, harnesses and lines to protect them in case they fall. Our Westchester ladder and scaffold accident lawyers know that even if the original fall was the worker's fault, if they didn't have fall protection, the general contractor and landowner are responsible under New York Labor Law 240.
According to OSHA, there are on average 61 construction accident fatalities, every year involving scaffolds. In addition to New York law, OSHA resulations require a fall protection system for every worker, working adjacent to an edge, which poses a risk of falling more than six feet. Acceptable fall protection systems include hoists and guardrail systems.
Our New York ladder accident lawyers have handled virtually every type of accident case involving a scaffold or ladder that can be brought and regularly appear in all of the New York City Metropolitan area Courts including Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Westchester towns and cities, including White Plains, New Rochelle, Bronxville, Mamaroneck, Ossining, Valhalla, Port Chester, Yonkers, Hartsdale, Valhalla, Mount Vernon, Scarsdale, Rye, Tarrytown, Greenburgh and Elmsford.
OUR NEW YORK CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS ARE ON YOUR SIDE
We only represent injured construction workers and their families, Not insurance companies or construction companies. We work for you only.
Consultations for injured workers with our New York construction accident attorneys are always free in either our Manhattan or White Plains offices.
OUR NEW YORK CITY (NYC) OFFICE
18 West 33rd Street, Suite 400
New York, N.Y. 10001
Tel: 212-858-0503
OUR WHITE PLAINS OFFICE
203 East Post Road
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: 914-574-8330
For a consultation with out New York City construction accident lawyers who handle ladder and scaffold cases, in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, Call (212) 858-0503 or for a consultation with our White Plains construction accident attorneys who handle construction accidents throughout Westchester, including White Plains, Yonkers, Rye, Greenburgh, Hartsdale, Scarsdale, Harrison, Mt Vernon, Port Chester, and Ossining. Call (914) 574-8330.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING LADDERS AND SCAFFOLDS
AM I COVERED IF I FELL BECAUSE I WASN'T GIVEN A LADDER
If you needed a ladder to get to an elevated work site and had to improvise and fell, then Labor Law 240 was violated and you can sue. For example if you had to climb up braces and fell, then you can sue
CAN I SUE FOR AN INJURY WHILE WORKING ON A BRIDGE
Yes Labor Law 240 applies to structures such as bridges, so if you were building a bridge, doing a bridge repair, or even power washing or painting a bridge and you got hurt because you didn't have an adequate tie off, life line, harness or anchor, you can sue
Can I Sue Under Labor Law 240 For an Excavation Injury
If you fell while trying to get into or out of an excavation because there were not adequate ladders provided, then you can sue under Labor Law 240.
FALLS REMAIN THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
Michael Joseph took my case, which involved very unusual circumstances, but after hard fought negotiations, he was able to achieve a favorable outcome for me. I was very satisfied with Michael and would highly recommend him.
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Mr. Joseph handled my case fantastically, I am very happy with the results. Thank you so much to your staff and your hard work.