When you’re least expecting it, a falling object on a construction site can impact your life. Falling objects can cause severe injuries to the people who are hit.
The weight of the object, as well as the height from which it fell, determine the potential damage. Even a small metal object, dropped from a great height, can cause life-changing injuries.
What Injuries Are Caused by Falling Objects?
Construction sites use a variety of tools, from hammers and drills to screws and bolts. When a worker accidentally drops one of these tools, it can cause any of these serious injuries:
- Concussion,
- Brain damage,
- Laceration,
- Eye injury,
- Bone fracture,
- Neck injury, and
- Spinal cord damage.
Unfortunately, some workers and visitors to construction sites are killed by falling objects. If you were seriously injured or lost a loved one due to a falling object at a construction site, you need an experienced attorney.
Who Is Responsible for Your Construction Site Injury?
Your attorney will determine who was responsible for your injury, which will help you identify your legal remedy. Any of these factors may have caused the NYC falling object injury:
- A worker was texting or distracted by something else,
- A worker was under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
- An employer did not properly train workers,
- The employer did not keep the construction site in a safe condition, or
- The manufacturer sold defective equipment.
Once your attorney figures out who was responsible for your accident, you can decide whether to file a lawsuit. If you were working at the site, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation. However, filing a lawsuit will allow you to pursue much more injury compensation than is available under workers’ comp insurance.
What Laws Govern Falling Object Injuries?
Every employer in New York must subscribe to workers’ compensation insurance, so that remedy should be available to you even if you caused your work accident.
However, other New York laws may hold your employer or a third party liable for your injuries. For instance, New York Labor Law 23 protects workers from falling objects. It requires employers to install protections on surfaces that might have falling objects.
OSHA’s General Duty Clause mandates additional measures, including that an employer has to provide a workplace free from hazards that are likely to cause serious harm or death.
Product liability laws will hold third parties responsible for defective equipment. If a piece of machinery broke and fell, you might be able to sue a manufacturer for your injuries.
Contact a Construction Accident Injury Attorney
If you’ve experienced a serious injury or the death of a loved one from a falling object in NY, you need an attorney. Your attorney can help investigate the cause of your accident and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries.
Call the experienced construction accident attorneys at Ferrante & Koenig for a free consultation to discuss your case and evaluate your legal options.
