NYC Construction Accident Lawyers

When the Job Site Becomes a Crime Scene

Every day, thousands of construction workers climb scaffolds, operate cranes, and work at heights across New York City. Most come home safely. Some don't.

NYC recorded 30 construction fatalities in 2023, the highest number in over a decade. Behind each statistic is an electrician, an ironworker, a laborer, or a carpenter who trusted their employer to keep them safe. When property owners and contractors cut corners, the consequences are devastating.

New York has one of the strongest worker protection laws in the country. It's called Labor Law 240, and it exists because the state recognized that construction workers face extraordinary dangers. If you were injured on a job site, this law may be the key to your recovery.

What Your Case Might Be Worth

Construction accident settlements in NYC tend to be substantial because of the strict liability standard. The severity of your injuries, your lost earning capacity, and the long-term impact on your life all factor into the value of your case.

The Fatal Four: OSHA's Deadliest Hazards

OSHA identifies four hazard categories responsible for the vast majority of construction deaths. Understanding them helps explain why so many accidents happen, and why they're preventable.

Falls from heights claim the most lives. They account for 48% of NYC construction fatalities over the past decade. Workers fall from scaffolds, ladders, roofs, and floor openings, often because employers failed to provide harnesses, guardrails, or safety nets. Every one of these deaths was avoidable.

Struck-by incidents are the second leading cause. Workers are hit by falling objects, swinging equipment, or vehicles on site. Unsecured tools at heights and improperly rigged loads create deadly risks that responsible contractors would never allow.

Electrocutions kill construction workers at an alarming rate. They account for 61% of all workplace electrocutions in the United States. Contact with power lines and energized equipment, hazards that proper planning would eliminate, cause most of these deaths.

Caught-in/between accidents round out the Fatal Four. Workers get trapped in machinery, crushed by collapsing structures, or buried in unsupported trenches. OSHA requires protection for excavations over 5 feet deep because the danger is so well documented. Statewide, 81% of construction deaths were non-union in 2024, the widest gap on record, and construction wage theft often clusters on the same low-bid sites where those fatalities happen.

What Labor Law 240 Covers

The Scaffold Law applies to a broad range of gravity-related hazards. Scaffold falls and collapses from inadequate guardrails, structural failures, or improper assembly are covered. So are ladder falls when the ladder was defective, improperly secured, or wrong for the job.

Falls from roofs, floors, elevator shafts, open holes, and unguarded edges all qualify. If tools, materials, or debris struck you from above, that's covered too. Hoist and crane accidents, pulley and lift failures, and equipment breakdowns that cause gravity-related injuries fall under the law's protection.

The common thread is gravity. If the force of gravity caused or contributed to your injury because safety equipment was inadequate or missing, Labor Law 240 likely applies to your case.

Who Can Be Held Liable

Construction accidents often involve multiple responsible parties. Each one potentially adds to your total recovery.

Property owners bear strict liability under Labor Law 240 regardless of their involvement in daily operations. General contractors are responsible for overall site safety and subcontractor oversight. Subcontractors themselves can be liable when their negligence causes injury.

Equipment manufacturers face liability for defective scaffolds, ladders, hoists, and tools. Engineers and architects can be held responsible for design defects that create hazards. Construction managers may be liable depending on their level of site control.

We investigate every potential defendant. The more responsible parties we identify, the greater your potential recovery.

Deadlines That Matter

Missing a deadline can destroy your case. Report your injury immediately and request a written incident report. File your workers' compensation claim within 30 days of the accident.

If you're filing against a government entity (city property, MTA projects, public works) you need to submit a Notice of Claim within 90 days. This is strict. The workers' compensation filing deadline is 2 years. For a personal injury lawsuit, you have 3 years from the date of the accident.

Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Job sites change. The sooner you contact an attorney, the stronger your case will be.

Construction injuries often overlap with other areas of law. If a co-worker was killed on the job, your family may have a wrongful death claim in addition to workplace injury protections. Many injured workers are entitled to both workers' compensation and third-party claims, and understanding the difference is critical to full recovery. If your workers comp claim has been denied or you are dealing with an IME dispute, our attorneys handle WC Board hearings alongside your third-party case.

Construction Accidents By Borough

Construction activity varies by borough, and so do the risks. We handle construction accident cases across all of New York City.

• Brooklyn Construction Accidents
• Manhattan Construction Accidents
• Queens Construction Accidents
• Bronx Construction Accidents
• Staten Island Construction Accidents

Construction Safety Data and Analysis

We track construction fatality and safety data to hold negligent contractors accountable. Our latest research:

• NYC Construction Deaths: Tracking the Crisis
• Construction Accident Settlements in New York: 2025 Data
• Truck Accident Settlements in NYC: What the Data Shows
• Workers' Compensation Benefits in New York: 2025 Rates and Rules
• The Grieving Families Act: What It Means for Construction Fatalities

Construction Accident Lawyers by Location

• Brooklyn Construction Accident Lawyers
• Queens Construction Accident Lawyers
• Bronx Construction Accident Lawyers
• Manhattan Construction Accident Lawyers
• Staten Island Construction Accident Lawyers
• Long Island Construction Accident Lawyers