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Construction and renovation work involves workers climbing and working on ladders and scaffolding, which can lead to serious accidents if the equipment provided to them isn’t safe or if the owners or contractors aren’t following New York’s safety laws and rules. In one study from the City Department of Health, 58% of fatal accidents were caused by falls, with 25% from ladders and 11% from scaffolds.
Fighting for Safer Worksites and Accountability in New York City
We’re always working hard to prevent these accidents from occurring by pushing to make safety during ladder and scaffold use standard practice in our City and state. Our dedicated team of New York City ladder accident lawyers always goes the extra mile for our clients — immediately investigating construction accident worksites, visiting injured workers in the hospital, and interviewing witnesses for the site. We fight to ensure that building owners, general contractors, and subcontractors are held fully responsible for their negligence and violations of NY’s Labor Law.
In fact, some of our most significant verdicts and settlements are from our clients’ construction-related injuries. One of Lipsig’s legal victories arose when a construction worker fell from a defective scaffold in nearby Suffolk County. Using testimony from four different specialists, our trial attorney proved to the jury how the client’s injuries required surgery more than three years later. We recovered more than $8 million for our client in this case.
Proven Results for Injured Construction Workers
Another major Lipsig legal victory occurred when our client fell from a four-foot Baker scaffold that tipped over when a defective wheel fell off. After our client needed surgery and suffered lost income and medical bills, we were able to prove to a jury in Brooklyn that his injuries totaled over $6.8 million. We defeated an appeal by the defendant’s insurance company and settled his case for $7.25 million.
Just a few of our other verdicts and settlements for our construction worker clients include:
- $6,700,000 for a client who fell while working on scaffolding. We proved that the working conditions were unsafe, and defective equipment was used at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
- $4,750,000 for a client seriously hurt when an A-frame ladder fell over during an office renovation in Manhattan.
- $3,000,000 for a roofer who fell from an unsafe ladder and broke his leg, which required several surgeries to fix.
- $3,000,000 for a laborer who fell from an unsecured ladder and suffered multiple fractures to his foot.
- $2,600,000 for a client who fell through a defective outdoor scaffold on a significant renovation project. Our attorneys were able to get the money he deserved to pay for his severe knee and back injuries.
Types of Ladder Accident Cases
New York is a city of many tall buildings and very high ceilings. It’s common for workers to use ladders when doing renovation or construction jobs. Painting, masonry, electrical, demolition, and roofing work often require climbing a ladder or a scaffold. Common types of construction ladders and scaffolds include:
- Step (or A-frame) ladders
- Extension ladders
- Multi-position ladders
- Scaffolding ladder
- Single scaffolding
- Double scaffolding
- Cantilever scaffolding
- Baker (or trestle) scaffold
Building owners, general contractors, and subcontractors are all responsible for making sure this equipment is safe under New York law. Our team of ladder accident attorneys has a deep understanding of the various types of construction and renovation work that require ladders or scaffolds, as well as the safety laws and rules governing their use.
We also understand the many other common types of accidents that can cause serious personal injuries, such as accidents caused by uneven surfaces or defective power tools and equipment. These accidents can lead to broken bones, deep cuts, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and even death.
If you have suffered a fall on the job, the seriousness of any injuries might not become evident until years later. You need a lawyer who will think both in the short and long term to protect you and your family’s economic interests.
Who is Liable in a Ladder Accident Case?
When it comes to determining who is legally liable in a ladder accident case, the Lipsig Law Firm is highly experienced and knowledgeable about New York State’s Labor Laws, which can help our injured clients. Under New York’s Labor Law 240, owners and general contractors must protect construction workers who are doing their jobs while working at heights.
Labor Law 240 requires that if you are doing your job and fall from an unsecured or unsafe ladder or scaffold, both the building owner and the general contractor are liable and must pay for your injuries and losses. This Labor Law, which Lipsig lawyers use to help clients and make construction work sites safer, covers other types of height-related accidents, including when falling objects at the work site injure workers.
NY Labor Law 241(6) is another law that Lipsig uses to protect our construction worker clients. The New York Industrial Code sets forth the specific requirements for the safe use of ladders and scaffolds, as well as other safety requirements for construction and demolition sites. This law has specific requirements for extension ladders, A-frame ladders, and scaffolds used on both large-scale new construction and renovation projects.
If you are hurt by a fall due to a defective ladder, New York Labor Law 241(6), in addition to Labor Law 240, permits the Lipsig lawyers to work for you in court against building owners, contractors, and others whose negligence in violating the safety rules caused personal injury and damages. New York Labor Law 200, although fairly general, requires site owners, general contractors, and subcontractors to provide reasonably safe construction or renovation sites.
There are federal standards for safe ladder use in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. For example, if a contractor does not provide you with the right size or height ladder, there can be an OSHA violation that Lipsig lawyers can use to help prove liability.
Our team of New York City ladder accident attorneys understands how to prove legal responsibility, hold negligent companies accountable, and get you the money damages you need for your injuries. We also understand that in these cases, time is of the essence. To best preserve evidence to help our clients, we will immediately go to your home or hospital to meet with you. We actively investigate what happened at your job site. We talk to your co-workers to get the full story of how the defendants violated safety rules at the construction site. Our work at the Lipsig law firm is critical to helping us obtain the money you’ll need for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Our Team of New York City Ladder Accident Lawyers Can Get You the Money You Need
We have helped many of our clients recover millions of dollars after being injured in a ladder or scaffold fall. This passion for fighting for our clients comes straight from our law firm’s founder Harry H. Lipsig, who was once called “the toughest, most successful personal injury specialist in the country” by New York Magazine.
Today, construction accidents are a significant practice area for our firm. Our attorneys understand how dangerous construction and renovation work can be, especially when it involves ladders and scaffolding. We know that people often get hurt despite doing everything right.
We also understand that workers’ compensation insurance often isn’t enough to compensate you for serious injuries and damages. If you are hurt, you may have a valid claim against a third party that is outside the workers’ comp system. We’ll fight to hold those responsible accountable.
Speaking with an experienced lawyer from The Lipsig Firm is free, and there’s no obligation to you — just proven legal guidance and a compassionate ear. Call 212-285-3300 or fill out our contact form, and we’ll begin reviewing your legal options today.