Construction accidents have reached an alarming rate in New York City, with crane collapses getting national media attention. So far in 2008, two separate Manhattan crane collapses killed a total of nine people. In 2007, there were eight crane-related accidents and 10 crane-related injuries in New York City.
Yet crane accidents represent only a small portion of accidents that could occur on the scene of a construction site. Other types of construction accidents include: |
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- Falling from a ladder, scaffold, roof or other elevation
- Being struck by a falling object, which accounts for one third of construction site deaths
- Being struck by moving machinery
- Roof collapse
- Electrocution
- Being injured by defective machinery or unsafe equipment (such as a forklift, tractor, conveyer belt)
- Health hazards from exposure to asbestos and other chemicals
Despite strict government-regulated safety laws and regulations, construction is the second most dangerous work environment. In the US, there are close to 1,200 construction-worker deaths each year.
If you are a construction worker injured while on the job in New York, you should be covered under workers’ compensation laws. You are entitled to costs such as medical expenses, rehabilitation, and lost wages. These costs are taken care of by your employer.
Although you may not be able to sue your employer because of workers’ compensation laws, you can file a civil suit against:
- Owners and General Contractors at work sites as a result of scaffold accidents, ladder accidents, or injuries from falling objects or trench collapses or falls from a height
- Manufacturers of unsafe or defective equipment that cause injuries on the job
- Property owners or General Contractors who failed to ensure that safety standards are adhered to at the worksite
- Third-party contractors
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