Two construction workers at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., suffered non-life-threatening injuries recently when a wall collapsed on them, YNN reported. The workers were taking down a curtain wall, which generally contains a building’s insulation and steel support beams. The two were stranded for 20 minutes before rescue workers were able to extricate them.
Anyone who works in construction knows it can be a dangerous industry. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, of the 4,114 fatal workplace accidents in 2011, 721 were in the construction industry. This means workers in the construction industry made up about 18 percent of all people killed in workplace accidents that year. In New York City alone, there were 128 construction accidents, which resulted in 152 injuries in 2011, according to a report issued by the Mayor’s Office. Five people died in New York City construction accidents in 2011.
Construction accidents can occur for a variety of reasons and under many scenarios.
However, according to OSHA, four types of accidents account for three of five fatalities in the construction industry:
- Falls —35 percent of all fatal construction accidents
- Struck by Object — 10 percent
- Electrocutions – 9 percent
- Caught in/between – 3 percent
As the Marist College accident illustrates, construction workers often work around or in buildings that are far from stable, meaning that a wall or floor can come crashing down at any moment.
If you have been injured as a result of a New York construction accident, you could be entitled to third-party compensation instead of, or in addition to, workers’ compensation. Because different companies are often working at the same site, there is a chance that someone other than your own employer may have contributed to your injuries.
Contact the New York/New Jersey accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., to find out what legal options you may have. With seven 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.