New York construction workers routinely suffer injuries from falls, contact with vehicles or unguarded machinery, electrical shocks, exposure to silica dust and asbestos, and various other causes. When those injuries cause a fatality, the family should immediately contact the wrongful death lawyers at Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C. to begin the process of recovering full compensation for their loss.
Why is it important to contact a lawyer after a fatal construction accident?
Fatal construction accidents are inevitably a consequence of another party’s negligence. Even if it is obvious to a neutral party, to collect damages, the family will need the assistance of a New York construction accident lawyer. They will demonstrate which parties were negligent and how it caused the fatal injuries.
Construction sites are dynamic places and the evidence that a lawyer needs can dissipate quickly after a fatal accident. When you retain a lawyer soon after the accident, you substantially improve your opportunity to recover the largest amount of compensation that may be available.
When can you sue for a fatal construction accident?
In New York, a person who suffers an injury due to someone else’s negligence has three years to file a lawsuit. A family that intends to sue for a construction accident wrongful death, however, must file that lawsuit within two years. Wrongful death lawsuits can be filed by the deceased worker’s spouse, children, or parents and by the authorized representative of the worker’s estate.
What damages can the worker’s survivors recover?
In New York, a deceased construction worker’s family can recover damages to compensate them for:
- Funeral costs and expenses
- The lost wages that the worker would have received for future services
- The reduction in the value of the worker’s estate
- Medical expenses for treatment of the victim before their death
- The victim’s pain and suffering associated with fatal injuries
In every case, the damages that a family can recover will be a function of their specific circumstances. An experienced construction accident attorney is your best resource for an estimate of the compensation that may be available to you.
Who is responsible to pay damages for a fatal construction accident?
Construction sites often involve multiple subcontractors and other parties, each of which might be liable to pay damages for their own negligence that contributed to a fatal accident. Workers’ compensation rules may preclude a lawsuit against a construction worker’s employer, but those rules allow a third-party wrongful death claim. Talk to a construction accident attorney to ensure you do not forfeit any right and opportunity to collect damages from negligent third parties.
Call the New York Construction Accident Attorneys at Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C. for a free consultation
We can help you determine which parties are liable for damages when a family member suffers a fatality at a construction site. We will also analyze the fact patterns to determine its cause and work tirelessly to recover the largest available damages award that can help you deal with the tragedy of an untimely death.
Our intake specialists are available to take your call 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Do not hesitate to call our offices as soon as you can after your family member suffers a fatal construction accident in Manhattan, Long Island, or elsewhere in and around NYC. We have in-depth knowledge of construction site dynamics and will use that knowledge to uncover the reckless and negligent contact that led to a victim’s demise.
