Artículos publicados en Staircase Accidents

In many types of injury accident cases, small details can matter a great deal. That can be true in construction accidents, as well. Due to the details contained in the New York statutes that allow you to recover compensation for your construction injuries, the nuances between a temporary staircase and a permanent staircase can be the difference between a successful outcome and a defeat in your case. To make sure that all your details, both great and small, are properly addressed, be sure you have knowledgeable New York City construction injury counsel in your corner.

One recent case from Niagara County is an example of the importance of details. G. was a construction worker who was hurt going down a set of stairs leading to the basement of a house that was under construction. The staircase collapsed beneath him, causing his injuries. The worker sued several entities for the harm he suffered, alleging that the entities he sued did not provide him with properly safe working conditions and, in the process, violated Sections 240(1) and 241(6) of the New York Labor Law.

In a case like Gary’s, details matter. Gary was hurt descending a staircase. Specifically, it matters whether or not the staircase was a temporary or permanent feature of the house. A temporary staircase, under New York law, is the functional equivalent of a ladder. So, if you fall and suffer injuries while using a temporary staircase, you may be entitled to receive compensation under a Section 240(1) claim, just the same as a worker who falls and suffers injuries while using a ladder.

Working in construction carries with it many potential risks of injury. Construction workers frequently deal with powerful equipment and often are required to haul extremely heavy materials, sometimes even up and down stairs. The law says that construction workers are entitled to a safe workplace. When you are hurt because you didn’t get that required degree of safety, you may be entitled to financial compensation. If you have experienced an injury at your construction job, talk to a knowledgeable New York construction accident attorney to discuss the options available to you.

An example of how improper safety can lead to a serious worker injury was the case of Ron, a construction worker working on a renovation project in Manhattan. As part of his job, Ron was helping to haul a 600-pound steel I-beam down a staircase one day. As he went down the staircase with the beam, Ron fell and seriously injured his right foot.

The injured worker brought a lawsuit in New York County. Although he had to take his case to the Appellate Division, Ron was able to secure a favorable judgment in his construction injury case.

Certainly, if you’re working at a New York construction site demolishing a wall, framing a window or installing electrical wire — and you were hurt in the process – then you potentially may be entitled to substantial compensation for your injuries, as these are activities clearly covered by the laws that protect construction workers. What you may not have known, however, is that there is actually a wide array of circumstances under which the laws designed to protect injured construction workers can help you, even if you weren’t doing “stereotypical” construction work like the examples above. In other words, if you were hurt at a New York construction site, it pays to contact a knowledgeable New York City construction injury attorney to learn more about the legal options available to you.

In a case that was recently ruled upon by the Appellate Division court in Manhattan, the worker’s injuries arose from one of those non-stereotypical activities. M.D. was inside a construction trailer when he spotted a coworker who was “performing improper work.” M.D., seeking to stop that coworker, stepped out of the trailer. When he passed through the trailer door, there were no stairs beneath, and he fell, suffering substantial harm.

In this case, even though M.D. was not engaged in stereotypical construction work, he had a possibly winning case. He suffered a fall due to inadequate safeguards and his activity at the time of the accident was something covered by the law.

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