Scaffolds are a regular feature of life in New York. They are a necessary element of building construction and maintenance, but unfortunately, they are also the catalyst for thousands of accidents every year.
The scaffolding accident lawyers at Manhattan’s Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb & Green represent construction workers and commuters who have suffered injuries in scaffolding mishaps.
We understand and have extensive experience with New York’s scaffold law that enables injured construction workers to recover the full amount of their damages from accidents around scaffolds. We also aggressively challenge the construction companies and their insurers that deny reasonable payments to commuters who suffer injuries from falling debris and other scaffolding problems.
Common Causes of Scaffolding Accidents
The causes of injuries from scaffolding accidents around New York construction zones generally fall into one of four categories:
- Scaffolds that were not erected properly or that were used at capacities beyond their ratings;
- Improperly secured tools and other objects that fall from scaffolds and injure parties standing below them;
- Electrocutions from metal scaffolding that comes into contact with power lines; and
- Inadequate employee training on how to safely work on or near a scaffold.
An injured party’s ability to recover damages will depend on his or her attorney’s skill and ability to show that those injuries were the direct and proximate result of another party’s negligence.
Special Protection for Construction Workers: The New York Scaffold Law
A construction worker’s employer might try to argue that the worker was responsible for their own scaffolding injuries as a result of not following job site rules and regulations. Under Section 240 of the New York Labor Law (the ”Scaffold Law”) a construction company cannot use a construction employee’s own negligence as a defense to paying damages. The Scaffold Law also requires employers to provide all necessary safety equipment to construction workers who perform tasks on scaffolds. If an employer fails to provide that equipment, the employer will be completely responsible for an injured worker’s damages.
How a Scaffolding Accident Lawyer Can Help You to Recover Damages
Multiple contractors and sub-contractors perform tasks at any given construction site on any day. A scaffolding accident lawyer at our firm can determine which of those entities bears the primary responsibility for the injuries you have sustained.
When a construction worker is injured on a scaffold, we will work to recover damages from all available sources. This includes maximizing workers’ compensation payments and recovering damages for negligence that are outside of the scope of workers’ compensation.
Our attorneys will also verify that a claim is filed before the expiration of any applicable statutes of limitations. An injured party in New York has three years from the date of the injury to file a negligence lawsuit. If, however, New York City or New York State was responsible for the injuries, then the injured party must file notice of an intent to pursue a claim within 90 days of the accident, and that party must then file a lawsuit within one year and 90 days of that date.
Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C.: Scaffolding Accident Lawyers
Construction companies and other entities that use scaffolds are responsible for ensuring the safety of their workers and of any other persons who are in the vicinity of the scaffolds. Friedman, Levy Goldfarb & Green represent injured parties in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, a Long Island, and throughout the New York City metro area to recover damages for their injuries when those companies fail to live up to their responsibilities.
Please call us to speak with one of our scaffolding injury lawyers today. All consultations are free, and you owe us no money unless we win money for you.
Additional Resources:
- www.osha.gov: Scaffolding. https://www.osha.gov/scaffolding
- www.nari-ny.org: Understanding the Scaffold Law. https://nari-ny.org/2014/03/understanding-scaffold-law/
- www.scaffoldsafetylaw.org: Scaffold Safety Law. http://www.scaffoldsafetylaw.org/
