Anyone who lives in or near New York City, or who has ever visited the metropolis, knows that just as the city never sleeps, construction never stops. New York City seems to be the construction capital of the world. Buildings seem to grow ever taller, old buildings are torn down to make room for new ones, and even relatively new buildings appear to get a face lift every few years. The hum of construction equipment is as pervasive as the sound of taxis honking.
It is not surprising, then, that construction accidents happen often in New York City. All too often, innocent bystanders are injured in these accidents. The City of New York announced this week that crane operators will now face new licensing requirements, a measure that will surely make the streets of New York just a little safer from construction accidents.
The new rules, which are scheduled to take effect on May 26, are intended to ensure that all persons who are operating a crane within the city are capable of doing so safely. All crane operators will now have to take, and pass, a national test. The test will have to be re-taken every five years to ensure that operators are up to date on all new rules and regulations and that they continue to be proficient operators. One of the problems with the old testing procedure was that it amounted to a “one size fits all” scenario when, in fact, there are a wide variety of different types of cranes that operators may use.
According to Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway, the new tests are “put together and updated frequently and they also are specialized so you have tests for specific types of crane equipment.” Another component of the new regulations requires each crane operator to take a 40-hour course that encompasses the regulations and construction environment of New York City to ensure that operators have the necessary level of experience to safely operate in the city.
Although the new rules and requirements for crane operators within New York City are encouraging, and a step in the right direction, construction accidents are likely to remain commonplace in New York City due to the sheer number of construction projects going on in any given day.
While many construction contractors follow all safety rules, unfortunately not all construction sites are vigilant about safety measures. If this lack of vigilance causes an accident and you are injured as a result of the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Injuries sustained in a construction accident fall into the broad category of a personal injury accident. In order to receive compensation for those injuries, the defendant must have been negligent, or at fault, and that negligence must have caused your injuries. Imagine, for example, that a crane operator was talking on a cell phone or texting while operating the crane and dropped the crane’s load as a result, causing your injuries. This could be an example of negligence. If the crane operator was operating the crane without the necessary training and/or experience, that could also be the basis for a claim of negligence. Both the operator of the crane and the contractor for whom the operator was working at the time could potentially be liable for your injuries.
The only way to know for sure whether you are entitled to compensation for injuries received in a construction accident is to consult with a New York construction accident attorney. With six offices in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, the construction accident lawyers at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., are ready to help you.
Contact our New York / New Jersey construction accident lawyers today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation, or fill out our online contact form.