Arye, Lustig & Sassower Blog

Construction worker injured after falling into a hole in Brooklyn

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Tuesday, November 20, 2018.

A construction worker was seriously injured after falling into a hole on Union Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, according to a Daily News report. The worker was apparently rescued by firefighters after plummeting 15 feet below street level and taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

As is the case with similar accidents, complaints were made to the Department of Buildings concerning worker safety at the Brooklyn site. While many other New York City construction workers and their families have experienced life-threatening injuries on unsafe job sites recently, there are indications that things are getting worse with regard to injuries.

Construction worker falls five stories in the East Village

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Monday, November 19, 2018.

Each year in New York City, numerous workers fall from heights on construction sites. Many of them lose their lives.

In May, a 62-year-old construction worker fell from a scaffold, this time on First Avenue near Houston Street in the East Village. The worker plunged five stories from a height of about 60 feet, according to a Patch story which referred to a tweet about the incident from the NYPD's 9th Precinct.

Long Island house collapses on construction crew, injuring worker

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Monday, November 19, 2018.

A construction crew was working on a Long Island house when the entire home collapsed backward. Six workers were present at the time of the incident, and one of them was seriously injured when his leg was crushed by a girder.

The property in Babylon, New York, which had been damaged by superstorm Sandy, was being lowered onto its new foundation when a hydraulic jack failed, according to a report from Newsday.

Construction workers injured through negligence: Money for what?

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

On a regular basis, New York City construction workers are seriously hurt because of unsafe conditions on job sites. When the safety of workers is compromised, negligent parties can be held accountable for the injuries that result.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of that accountability comes in the form of money damages that are awarded to injured victims and their families. Those damages can be awarded for multiple reasons.

Construction workers in danger, yet HALF have NO health insurance

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. posted in Construction Accidents on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

New York City construction workers are at risk in a number of ways, not the least of which is the high rate of injuries they experience. While many NYC construction workers are exposed to a formidable array of hazards on the job, like the risk of falls, falling objects, equipment failure, adverse weather conditions and much more, it appears that a real majority don't even have proper medical coverage.

Recent stats from the New York Building Congress indicate that 53 percent of workers in the construction trades have no health insurance -- that's more than half. So who should shoulder the high cost of medical care when a worker gets hurt on the job?

Construction worker injured at 3 World Trade Center

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. posted in Construction Accidents on Monday, November 12, 2018.

As we are reminded in the news on an almost daily basis, New York City is a dangerous place for construction workers. These are the men and women who are getting the job done on an endless stream of large projects across the city and especially in Manhattan.

A number of workers have fallen to their deaths on New York construction sites in recent years, while others have been hurt and killed by falling objects, vehicle mishaps, and equipment failures that all point to lax safety. But there are many other kinds of accidents, including wall collapses and demolition accidents.

NYC construction worker safety: What does Local Law 196 say?

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Sunday, November 11, 2018.

Workers and their families, unions, advocacy groups and many other organizations and individuals are concerned about the unacceptably dangerous conditions faced by construction workers in New York City. News outlets tell the ongoing story of dead and injured workers.

As you may know, a new city law known as Local Law 196 of 2017 is the culmination of attempts to improve construction worker safety and decrease injuries and fatalities. Here are some of the specific training requirements that come with this law, which will be enforced in large part by the Department of Buildings (DOB).

Worker killed by a construction vehicle on the Upper East Side

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Saturday, November 3, 2018.

In yet another New York City construction tragedy, a worker was killed by a vehicle on a job site on Manhattan's Upper East Side. According to a Patch report, a 66-year-old worker was struck by a road saw on East 74th Street between First Avenue and York Avenue.

How common are construction deaths caused by vehicles like trucks and forklifts? Can anything more be done to protect workers from preventable errors on job sites?

Mandatory safety training: Will it help NYC construction workers?

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Friday, November 2, 2018.

The epidemic of construction worker deaths in New York City is no secret. Many local and state leaders have pushed for safer conditions for workers, but most of the regulations have failed to curtail the problem because the penalties for negligent contractors and developers have been far too lenient. It's possible that a new city law will help improve things.

As reported by Crain's New York Business, the city council passed a bill that will require many construction workers to complete 30 hours of safety training by the end of 2018 and an additional 10 hours by next May. Will this mandate reduce the number of accident injuries and fatalities?

2017 and 2018: Bad years for NYC construction worker safety

On behalf of Carl Lustig of Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C. on Friday, November 2, 2018.

Just when we thought things couldn't get more dangerous for New York construction workers, they did. In a comparison of January-to-July construction accident stats for 2017 and 2018, published by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), we see that 2017 was a bad year -- but that 2018 was even worse. When it comes to danger, the numbers illustrate what many workers feel.

We think it's important to know how many workers have been affected by accidents in the city, but also to know where and how the accidents occurred. In its report concerning construction related injuries and fatalities as of July 31, 2018, the DOB has given us the following information about workers who have been hurt and killed on the job this year and last year.

Case Results

Since 1965, we’ve recovered over $1 BILLION on behalf of our clients. read more

$2.1 million settlement

for 33-year old electrician who fell from ladder while attempting to fit heavy cable into crown box when cable sprung back and struck him, causing him to suffer left shoulder injury with impingement.
$1.6 million settlement

for 38-year old electrician who slipped and fell on debris on stairway with resulting cervical herniated disc and aggravation of pre-existing arthritic changes.
$2.55 million settlement

for 42-year old electrician who fell into an uncovered, unprotected hole and suffered a severe low back injury with herniated disc(s) that required surgery at L4-5 and L5-S1 levels.
$1.75 million settlement

for 26-year old construction worker who fell through opening in roof and fractured his wrist, requiring surgery with open reduction and internal fixation, external fixation device, and eventual fusion.
$2.5 million settlement

for 38-year old female electrician (with history of prior neck injury) who tripped on uneven Masonite protective floor covering, and suffered neck injury with herniated discs requiring cervical fusion.
$1.2 million settlement

during trial for 40-year old sheet metal worker who was struck in the neck and shoulder by an air conditioning unit and suffered herniated cervical discs and cervical radiculopathy.