Construction is an incredibly dangerous profession to work in, and there are plenty of statistics to back that up:

• Ten percent of construction workers are injured every year. This equates to 150,000 construction site injuries annually.
• If a construction worker stays in his/her job for 45 years, he or she has a 1 in 200 chance of dying on the job.
• Falls are the top reason for construction worker deaths. The highest falling risk is from roofs, then from scaffolding and ladders. The other top reasons for construction worker deaths are getting struck by an object, electrocution and getting trapped inside or in between objects.
• New York is one of the top five states that employ construction workers. Unfortunately, it also has a higher-than-average construction worker fatality rate of between 21 and 40 deaths per year.
• Almost 20 percent of all workplace deaths occurred in the construction industry between 2002 and 2012. This statistic rose to 1 percent in 2016.
• Younger, less experienced construction workers are more likely to be injured or killed in construction accidents than older, more experienced workers.

What if you don’t work in construction, though? Do you even need to worry about construction accidents?

Absolutely. While it isn’t quite as common, plenty of regular people get hurt in construction accidents just by passing close enough to a worksite.

In this post, we’ll explain the most common reasons that bystanders face injuries and what you can do if you’ve experienced a construction accident.

Common Construction Injuries Bystanders Face

There are five different ways bystanders are commonly injured in construction accidents.

1. Falling object. If cranes, scaffolding, and construction materials are not properly secured, they can cause bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death if they fall on you.
2. Hazardous chemical spill. Construction workers use many different chemicals under strict regulations. If these chemicals spill or get into the environment, they have the potential to injure bystanders through direct contact or vapor inhalation.
3. Ear injury. Noises on construction sites can be so loud as to damage hearing or rupture the eardrums of bystanders, who are not wearing protective coverings like the workers themselves.
4. Slip and fall accidents. If construction site debris, equipment, cords, or tools are carelessly left in the open, they can cause slip and fall accidents to bystanders. Slip and fall accidents can cause a wide array of injuries, including traumatic brain injuries.
5. Blunt force trauma. You can be hit by a construction site vehicle or any construction materials that aren’t properly operated or handled. A blunt force trauma injury can cause serious injury or death.

If You Have Been Injured in a Construction Site Accident

Construction workers can file lawsuits for their injuries on construction sites under the labor law, but if you are a bystander and you’re injured in a construction accident, what protections do you have?

Consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to learn if you can seek compensation for your pain and suffering and lost wages. You should not have to bear the serious burdens if someone acted with negligence that caused your injury. It’s important to visit the doctor first and if a serious injury has been caused to you then call a New York attorney for help.

A knowledgeable construction accident lawyer will understand New York liability laws and how they apply to your case. Reach out today for a free consultation with an attorney who will fight to protect your rights.

Wherever you go in the city, it seems that something is always under construction. While most construction sites operate with safety as their top priority, some do not  and accidents will happen from time to time.

Last month, two construction workers died in separate accidents in Manhattan. In the Financial District, a veteran construction worker and father of five fell 29 stories while working at the site of a luxury waterfront condo. At the time of the accident, the workers “were installing molds in which to pour concrete for the 29th floor of the tower.”

Although the worker was wearing a harness at the time of his fall, it hadn’t been clipped in properly. As a result, the man fell onto a scaffold bridge and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Later that same day, two construction workers fell from a bucket lift on the third floor of a building at 33^rd Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. Witnesses said the workers appeared to be wearing safety harnesses, but the harnesses weren’t secured to the bucket lift. The result? One of the workers, a 45-year old man, died. This incident was the second time at the same site that a worker had fallen to his death.

The Department of Buildings says there have been seven construction-related deaths so far this year. There were 12 construction-related deaths in 2015 and 2016 combined.

What’s going on?

These accidents come at a time when construction safety concerns are at their peak. Speaking about the deaths, Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, said, “We must end this epidemic and come together as a city to ensure that we do everything in our power to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities for the men and women who are building our skyline.”

These two fatal accidents bring up a number of questions about the safety of construction workers and what course of action you have available to you if you or a loved one is injured or dies in a construction accident while on the job.

Understanding Construction-Related Injury Lawsuits

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has identified “the fatal four” injuries that account for almost 60 percent of construction worker deaths:

• Falls
• Getting hit by an object
• Caught in between objects
• Electrocution

It goes beyond that, though. While deaths can result from construction accidents, construction injuries are far more common. Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you might have certain legal options available to you to help you recover damages.

Regardless of how you were injured, you should contact an experienced New York construction injury attorney after seeking medical attention and reporting the incident to your employer. A knowledgeable lawyer will be able to listen to the details of your case and determine whether you meet the requirements for a construction accident lawsuit.

If you are a construction worker hurt on the job it is likely that you will be able to pursue two types of legal actions.  Your pain and suffering (both present and future), cumulative medical bills (both present and future) and lost earnings (both present and future) will be the subject of a personal injury lawsuit  against the site owner, general contractors and possibly others.  Your immediate wage loss and medical bills will be pursued in a workers’ compensation claim.

Consult with a skilled New York attorney who has proven results in construction injury cases. Reach out to an attorney today to discuss your options and determine the best way to proceed to get the compensation you’re entitled to for your injuries and wage losses.

Working in construction is an inherently dangerous job. Depending on your specific position, you might operate huge, heavy, powerful machinery. Lug enormous loads around. Spend your days hundreds of feet in the air. Perhaps all three.

The following are some of the most common causes of construction accidents in New York.

Watch Out for These Types of Accidents if You Work Construction

Falls – It doesn’t take more than a few feet to cause serious injuries, especially if a construction worker is not provided with the proper safety equipment, or lands a certain way. While some falls are caused by a simple misstep, construction workers should always be using the proper safety equipment, including harnesses and properly installed scaffolding, to prevent a long fall.

Falling Objects – Maybe you weren’t what fell. A falling object also brings risk of serious injury, even if the object is a smaller tool. On a grander scale, an entire building can fall and collapse on workers inside if proper care isn’t executed during a demolition. While hard hats and other safety gear can protect workers from some falling objects, heavier objects (and collapsed buildings) will still leave workers with serious injuries.

Other Equipment or Tool-Related Accidents – Maybe the guy working above you didn’t realize you were below him and shot a nail through your hand with a nail gun on you. Or maybe you were the one using the nail gun and it was defective.

Each piece of equipment you work with comes with risks. If you were allowed you to use a tool without being told about these risks, someone may be held liable for the damages that it caused to you. Job site owners and contractors may also be held liable if workers are provided with defective tools that have not been repaired or replaced.

Fires, Explosions, Respiratory Diseases – Not all dangers are visible to the human eye. Sometimes, an injury can result from a deadly mix of chemicals, or flammable substances in the air that catch on fire – we’ve all seen commercials for lawsuits over asbestos exposure.

There are so many dangerous chemicals that cause serious damage down the line. Whether a spark causes a fire in seconds, or lead poisoning leads to medical problems over decades, these chemicals, and their risks, should be made known to construction workers.

Overexertion – Sometimes, it just takes being outside for hours on end to cause an injury or illness. Repetitive motions like hammering or lifting heavy objects can cause strain on muscles or joint damage. Excess heat or cold can cause frostbite or heatstroke. Construction workers who work overtime are more susceptible to these injuries.

There are so many dangerous chemicals that cause serious damage down the line. Whether a spark causes a fire in seconds, or lead poisoning leads to medical problems over decades, these chemicals, and their risks, should be made known to construction workers.

Overexertion – Sometimes, it just takes being outside for hours on end to cause an injury or illness. Repetitive motions like hammering or lifting heavy objects can cause strain on muscles or joint damage. Excess heat or cold can cause frostbite or heatstroke. Construction workers who work overtime are more susceptible to these injuries.

Injured While Working In Construction?

Compared to other professions, though, they go wrong a lot – over 20% of all private industry worker deaths in 2015 involved construction. Clearly, a lot of these “accidents” aren’t just accidents.

Site owners and contractors have a duty to construction workers to keep them safe and aware of all of the risks of their job. If  you are put in a risky situation and you get hurt, you can may be able to hold them liable for the financial damages and pain and suffering that result from your injury.

Do not pay for someone else’s mistake. Contact a New York personal injury lawyer today to get started on your case.