Work Accidents & Injuries

Each year in the United States, work accidents hurt or disable over 3 million individuals and result in the death of approximately 5,500 workers. In fact, work accidents every day around the country cause about 11,500 illnesses and injuries and the hospitalization of 200 workers. The New York work accident attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman have represented many individuals and families impacted by work accidents such as:

• Highway incidents, which can involve workers who are driving at the time of the auto accident or construction workers who are hit by a car or truck while working on the highway. 

• Falls from a height; for instance, a ladder, scaffolding, roof or stairway. In 2007, there were 835 fatal falls in the U.S. alone.

• Being struck by an object such as a tool or a machinery part.

• Machinery or equipment malfunction, lack of safety guards or defective products.

• Fires, explosions or gas leaks that can result in serious burn injuries.

• Roof or other building-component collapse; these accidents can be attributed to defective or old products.

• Exposure to toxins including asbestos or benzene. Toxic exposure does not usually result in immediate injuries, but rather causes the exposed worker to develop fatal disease including mesothelioma and cancer.

• Workplace homicides; in 2007, for example, 610 people were killed in workplace homicides in the U.S.

Injuries Are Not Always Immediate

Although the consequences of a work accident may be immediately apparent, in many cases the injury or illness does not become apparent until days, weeks, months or even years after the work accident or workplace exposure. An example of a later-onset injury is repetitive-motion disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Examples of very-late-onset injuries include mesothelioma from asbestos exposure, lead poisoning and cancer from other toxins.

Even when a personal injury or illness does not immediately follow the work accident, the worker may be eligible for a legal remedy. Any worker with a question about his or her health that may be related to work should consult a knowledgeable work accident attorney.

Work Accidents Cost Millions in Losses

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), more than half of the workplace accidents in the U.S. result in significant time off the job, work restriction, or a job transfer for the injured. If you experience a work-related injury or illness, the lost wages, medical bills, possible disability and other damages can have a profoundly negative and long-term impact on your life.

A work accident attorney's job is to recover compensation for the injured or the survivors of a family member killed in a work accident — whether through a workers compensation claim, a negotiated settlement with defendant employers and/or insurers, litigation to obtain a court award, or a combination of legal actions.

Fatal Work Accidents

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the industries that have the highest personal injury and fatality rates include the mining, agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction, transportation and public utilities industries. In 2007, approximately one-quarter of all work-accident fatalities involved workers in transportation and material-moving occupations. These occupations are central to the economies of both New York City and the state.

Work Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims

Families of individuals who have been killed in a work accident may be eligible to recover compensation for their financial and emotional losses by filing a wrongful death claim. A personal injury lawyer for work accident injuries and deaths will thoroughly evaluate the accident and will fight aggressively to recover monetary compensation for the family members left behind.

Speak to a Work Accident Lawyer at Our Firm

If you’ve been injured on the job, or if your family member was injured or killed in a work accident, discuss your circumstances with an experienced New York work accident attorney at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman. We look forward to helping you.