Many New England states were just recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy when a record-breaking winter storm hit the area. Over the February 9 weekend, Mother Nature dumped as much as a three feet of snow, coupled with high winds, causing power outages, flight cancellations, and more than a dozen deaths. To remind everyone that winter is far from over, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued advice to employers about the importance of keeping employees safe during winter storms. [Read more…]
How Do I Know Who Is Legally Responsible for My NY / NJ Construction Accident Injuries?
Construction accidents happen every day on worksites in New York and New Jersey. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only the transportation industry has more fatal workplace accidents than the construction industry. Most construction workers are aware of the dangers they face every day when they go to work; however, just because a job is inherently dangerous does not mean that an injured worker is not entitled to compensation. For many workers, the question becomes: Who is responsible for injuries sustained in a construction accident? [Read more…]
Website Wins U.S. Department of Labor App Challenge
A website designed to offer young workers information on common workplace hazards has won the grand prize in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Worker Safety and Health App Challenge. The Labor Department sponsored the challenge to raise awareness among young, tech-savvy workers about the importance of workplace safety. It challenged workers to submit tools or apps that would “best demonstrate the importance of recognizing and preventing workplace safety and health hazards, and help young people understand their rights in the workplace.” [Read more…]
Who Pays Your Medical Expenses When You Are Injured On The Job?
If an individual is injured at work, they are entitled to medical care. However, the injured worker should be aware that the employer has control of which doctors to send the injured worker. If the medical care that the employer provides is not adequate, the employee’s attorney should file a motion for medical treatment right away. In general, the workers’ compensation court should address the worker’s medical treatment inadequacies within thirty days. [Read more…]
Ginarte Law Firm Welcomes James Krupka, Esq.
The Ginarte Law Firm is pleased to announce that James Krupka, Esq. has joined our firm. Mr. Krupka will be working out of our Newark and Clifton offices and will be handling a variety of personal injury cases. Mr. Krupka is a dedicated attorney with extensive experience in personal injury and civil litigation. He has previously represented both plaintiffs and defendants. [Read more…]
Falls Are Common Cause of Construction Site Injuries
More construction workers are injured or killed in falls than any other kind of on-the-job accident, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In early November, for instance, a 37 -year-old ironworker at the Oswego campus of the State University of New York was fatally injured when he fell from a roof where he was installing metal decking, according to a report. The cause of the fall was not immediately reported, but all campus construction projects were suspended pending a review of safety. [Read more…]
Third Parties May be Liable for Construction Accidents
Two Penfield, New York, town employees were injured recently while installing storm drains, according to the Penfield Post. The workers were standing in a trench while a concrete basin suspended by chains was being lowered into place. One of the chains snapped, causing the basin to swing into the workers, who were then thrown against a steel wall lining the trench. Both workers suffered concussions. [Read more…]
Mining among Riskiest Occupations
Despite efforts over the last several decades to make mining safer for workers, the mining industry remains one of the most dangerous in the United States. According to statistics released by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, coal mining is by far the most dangerous occupation within the mining industry. Eighty-eight U.S. coal mine workers died from 2009 through 2011. During that same three year period, 55 workers died in other types of mines, such as mineral, stone, sand and gravel. So far this year, the mining industry in New York has reported 86 work-related injuries, including one fatality. [Read more…]
Workers’ Compensation Rates reduced for New York Employers
Workers’ Compensation premium rates are being reduced in New York for the first time in four years. The news came following an announcement from Governor Andrew Cuomo that New York businesses have been paying substantial surcharges to help the state repay a federal loan for unemployment costs. [Read more…]
West Virginia Toxic Dust Lawsuit Filed by Construction Workers
Employees from the Tucker County, West Virginia, courthouse have filed a wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit against a construction company that did work at the courthouse, alleging that the company spread toxic dust throughout the building and causing serious injuries and even the death of one county employee. [Read more…]