A construction worker was killed and a second was seriously injured this month when a building partially collapsed as concrete blocks were being loaded onto the roof. Another worker said that before the collapse, a supervisor had tried to warn a crane operator not to drop more blocks on the roof. “The building was already shaking. It had too much stuff. It was overloaded,” said bricklayer Ignatius Regis.
Although the collapse remained under investigation, a spokesman for the city’s Department of Buildings said it appeared the building’s beams were not properly supported. While there were no previous code violations for the worksite, neighbors said they had noticed structural damage to their homes and excessive vibrations from the site prior to the actual collapse. Although no formal complaints were filed by neighbors, they did reportedly call 3-1-1 to report the issues. City Councilwoman Leticia James said, “This tragic incident raises serious concerns about the safety practices at this construction site, and whether there was proper oversight of this construction by both the Department of Buildings and the developer.”
Forensic engineers will investigate the scene to determine what went wrong. The city is looking into whether the contractor cut corners on materials or whether the crane operator mishandled the load of concrete.
New York Construction Accidents
Unfortunately, construction accidents are all too common across the nation and throughout the state of New York. According to statistics released by the mayor of New York City, five construction workers were killed and 152 workers were injured last year in work-related accidents in the Big Apple alone. In addition, the city issued more than 5,000 stop work orders as a result of safety code violations on construction sites last year.
Among the leading causes of construction injuries are falls. Last year alone, 635 people died throughout the country as the result of work-related falls.
Injured workers may not be aware of all of their legal options. While some injuries are compensable through the workers’ compensation system, an injured worker may pursue compensation from a third party, depending on the facts and circumstances of the accident. For example, the owner of the building, the general contractor, a subcontractor, or even the project manager could be held liable for injuries in a construction accident.
An Experienced Construction Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a New York construction accident, contact the New York/New Jersey construction accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd to find out about your legal options. With six offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you.
Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.