Many people may not realize it, but unfortunately, all signs are pointing to a construction boom that’s causing more construction accidents and fatalities around the state. Last November, a New York Times story painted this picture in a chilling and disturbing way. The story begins with a 36-year-old worker, who fell 19 feet to his death while working on a deck project in Brooklyn.
The story chronicles this and other tragic fatalities, and details how many of them were suffered by undocumented workers.
“New York City is experiencing a building boom that has transformed barren blocks and led to a frenzy of construction on commercial and residential buildings across all five boroughs,” writes Joseph Berger. “But that activity has come at a sobering cost: In the last two years, the number of workers hurt and killed in construction accidents has surged.”
Avoidable Accidents
Claiming that accident injuries and fatalities “far exceed” the rate of new construction in New York, the NYT story also cites federal resources to show that many of these accidents are “completely avoidable.”
It also talks about the kinds of discovery that often reveal carelessness or negligence on the part of the employer, noting “handwritten notes,” “crude drawings” and other documents, as well as oral interviews. Berger looked at instances of construction accidents across the boroughs, finding many of them clustered in areas of downtown Manhattan.
In the article, Berger talks about New York City embracing “vertical construction” to make housing cheaper, but suggests that some undocumented workers have paid the highest price in order to produce the results sought by the industry. For example, a 58-year-old Indian immigrant who fell eight stories was not wearing a harness, according to investigators, and had a forged certificate of safety training.
Investigators also cited deficiencies in the scaffolding. It’s these kinds grievous accidents based on multiple violations of workplace safety that are the starkest examples of what’s going on around the city as a “hurry up and go” attitude puts pressure on vulnerable workers.
New York personal injury lawyers work on behalf of those who have been injured due to someone else’s mistakes. They will be by the client’s side, doing the legal fact-finding required to bring a personal injury case before a judge, and explaining to clients all of their legal rights and options. It’s all part of being a voice for clients in a court of law and helping them get the best chance of obtaining the compensation they deserve after an accident.
Get Help From a New York City Workers’ Compensation Law Firm Today
Injured in a workplace accident in New York? Call the attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. Let us assist you with intelligent, thoughtful counsel on a work injury case. We will work with you to figure out your legal rights and options and protect your family’s finances after a loss in a NYC construction accident.