Brooklyn Scaffold Injury Lawyer

Has a Scaffolding Accident Left You Injured?

Recent Federal Labor Department statistics show that at some point during the course of a year the majority of all construction workers – about 65% – will work on a scaffold. When scaffolds are not properly constructed, are incorrectly secured, lack safety precautions, or are not shielded adequately from falling objects, workers can be seriously injured. As many as 10,000 workers are injured every year in scaffold accidents, and in recent years up to 89 people have died in a single year from preventable scaffold accidents. If you have been injured or a loved one has been injured or killed because of a scaffold accident, your best option is to contact a Brooklyn law firm with scaffold accident injury experience.

In New York State additional laws have been passed to guarantee worker safety. Among them are Sections 200, 240, and 241(6), which collectively require employers to provide a safe work environment for all employees, and this includes taking precautions against dangerous falls. These laws also hold employers liable in the event that a workplace injury does occur. A qualified attorney can help you understand the details of these important state workplace laws and others which will help you recover damages when a scaffold accident has resulted from negligence. Employers as well as their contractors and agents can all be held responsible.

The majority of scaffolding accidents happen because the planking (flooring) fails, or because an object falls onto the scaffold from above. But these accidents and the injuries that result can be caused by numerous negligent conditions, including:

–  Poor scaffold design

–  Scaffold was assembled incorrectly

–  Scaffold installed by an unqualified person

–  Scaffolding erected too close to a known danger (electrical wires, etc.) without proper safeguards

–  Scaffolding was not tested adequately before use

–  Scaffolding was not secured or stabilized properly

–  Scaffolding was installed without handrails, guards, or other safety precautions

–  Scaffolding was not maintained in safe condition

Discuss Your Scaffold Accident Injury with a Professional

Scaffold injuries are entirely avoidable and are primarily the result of preventable human error. While workers’ compensation insurance may cover some of the damages from a scaffold accident, there may be additional liability involved. Understanding your rights and options is part of what a knowledgeable lawyer can do for you. Kuharski, Levitz, & Giovinazzo can help – give us a call.

See Also: Hurt from Construction Hazards, Such as Falling Objects? Click here.