New York Personal Injury Lawyers / Manhattan Construction Accident Attorney

Abogado especializado en accidentes de construcción en Manhattan

Manhattan never stops building. Tower cranes dot the Midtown skyline, subway renovation projects run beneath crowded streets, residential conversions reshape neighborhoods from the Lower East Side to Harlem, and commercial developments break ground in every corner of the borough. Where there is construction, there are risks; and when those risks are ignored, injured workers and bystanders pay the price.

If you or a loved one was injured on a Manhattan or NYC construction site, the construction accident lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP are here to fight for you. Our Manhattan office has handled serious injury and wrongful death cases across the five boroughs for decades, and we take every case on a contingency basis; no fees unless we win. Call us today for a free case evaluation.

Construction Accidents in Manhattan: The Scale of the Problem

Construction is the most dangerous industry in New York City. According to the NYC Department of Buildings, construction fatalities in 2024 resulted in three deaths in Manhattan alone, and more than 200 Manhattan construction workers suffered serious injuries at worksites during the same year. Falls remained the leading cause of fatalities, followed by mechanical equipment accidents and falling materials.

These numbers reflect a persistent and well-documented reality: Manhattan construction sites operate under intense time pressure, with complex projects, dozens of contractors working simultaneously, and construction workers who are sometimes under-trained for the specific hazards they face. OSHA data has shown that a significant percentage of fatal NYC construction accidents involve at least one critical safety violation, and in many of those cases, the violations were known and left unaddressed.

Most Manhattan construction accidents are preventable. When they happen anyway, injured construction workers and their families deserve experienced legal representation to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Common Causes of Manhattan Construction Site Accidents

Construction accidents rarely happen for a single reason. They typically result from a chain of negligent decisions, failed oversight, and ignored safety standards. Common causes our NYC construction accident lawyers see include:

• Falls from scaffolding, ladders, rooftops, and elevated platforms
• Being struck by falling tools, materials, or debris
• Electrocution from exposed wiring or unguarded power lines
• Caught-in or caught-between construction accidents involving machinery and equipment
• Crane collapses and crane swing accidents
• Trench and excavation collapses
• Forklift, backhoe, and heavy equipment accidents
• Defective or improperly maintained tools and machinery
• Chemical exposure, including asbestos and toxic materials
• Elevator shaft and hoist construction accidents
• Fires and explosions from gas lines or welding operations

When an employer, contractor, or property owner disregards OSHA standards or New York safety codes, the law gives injured workers meaningful options for recovery.

Injuries Our Construction Accident Lawyers Handle

A Manhattan construction accident can produce catastrophic injuries that permanently change a person’s ability to work, care for their family, and enjoy daily life. Our construction injury attorneys regularly handle cases involving:

• Lesiones cerebrales traumáticas (LCT)
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Fractures and crush injuries
• Traumatic amputation
• Severe burns from electrical or chemical exposure
• Daños en órganos internos
• Cicatrices y desfiguración
• Muerte por negligencia

No two cases are alike. Our experienced construction accident lawyers take the time to understand the full medical and financial impact of your injuries before evaluating any settlement.

New York Labor Laws that Protect Injured Construction Workers

New York State provides some of the strongest legal protections for construction workers anywhere in the country. Three sections of the New York Labor Law are central to most Manhattan construction accident claims.

Labor Law §240: The Scaffolding Law

This is one of the most powerful worker-protection statutes in the United States. Labor Law §240 applies to gravity-related construction accidents, such as falls from height and injuries caused by falling objects, and imposes strict liability on property owners and general contractors who fail to provide adequate safety equipment, such as scaffolding, harnesses, hoists, ladders, and pulleys. Strict liability means you do not need to prove negligence, only that the required safety measures were absent or inadequate and that this failure caused your injury.

Claims under the Scaffolding Law tend to be high-value and aggressively contested by defendants and their insurers. Having an experienced NYC construction accident lawyer is not optional in these cases; it is essential.

Labor Law §241: Construction Site Safety Standards

Section 241 requires property owners and general contractors to maintain reasonable and adequate safety protections across all construction, demolition, and excavation work. Like §240, it creates strict liability for violations of specific standards in the New York State Industrial Code, covering everything from trench safety to power tool guards.

Labor Law §200: General Duty of Care

Section 200 codifies the common-law obligation to provide a reasonably safe workplace. Claims under this section typically require showing that the owner or contractor had control over the hazardous condition that caused the injury. It is most often relevant when the accident resulted from a dangerous physical condition at the construction site rather than a fall or falling object.

Understanding which statute or combination of statutes applies to your case, and how to build the strongest argument under each, requires deep familiarity with New York construction accident law. The construction accident attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers have handled these cases for years and know how defendants and their insurers fight them.

Who Can Be Held Liable When Construction Accidents Happen?

Construction sites involve layers of contractors, owners, and vendors, and more than one party is often responsible for a serious injury. Potential defendants in a Manhattan construction accident case include:

• General contractors and project managers
• Subcontratistas
• Property owners and real estate developers
• Scaffolding and equipment rental companies
• Manufacturers of defective tools or machinery
• Architects and engineers of record

Our construction accident attorneys conduct thorough investigations, including reviewing contracts, Department of Buildings records, OSHA inspection reports, safety meeting logs, and witness statements, to identify every party whose actions or failures contributed to your injuries. Under New York’s Carlos’ Law, corporations can also face criminal liability for negligently causing the construction worker’s death or the serious injury of a construction worker on the job, with fines reaching up to $500,000. While criminal prosecution is handled separately, its existence underscores that the law takes construction worker safety seriously.

Your Legal Options in a Construction Accident Claim

If you were working on the job site when you were injured, you are generally entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of fault. Workers’ comp covers all reasonable and necessary medical treatment and pays a portion of lost wages, typically two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you are unable to work. It does not, however, compensate you for pain and suffering.

Workers’ comp is often just the starting point, not the full picture.

Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuit

New York law allows injured construction workers to file a personal injury lawsuit against parties other than their direct employer. This is where the real recovery often happens. A successful third-party claim can recover full lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of future earning capacity, medical expenses beyond what workers’ comp covers, and other damages.

For visitors and bystanders injured on a Manhattan construction site, a personal injury claim against the responsible parties is the primary route to compensation.

Seguridad Social por incapacidad

If your injuries are severe enough to prevent you from returning to any form of work, you may also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. Our team can evaluate whether SSD is a viable component of your overall recovery.

What Compensation Can You Recover as a Construction Accident Victim?

Depending on the nature of your claim and the severity of your injuries, recoverable damages may include:

• Emergency room treatment, surgery, hospitalization, and all related medical costs
• Future medical expenses for ongoing treatment or permanent conditions
• Physical, occupational, and cognitive rehabilitation
• Assistive devices and home modifications
• Salarios perdidos no cubiertos por el seguro de accidentes de trabajo
• Loss of future earnings and reduced earning capacity
• Dolor y sufrimiento
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Pérdida del disfrute de la vida
• Pérdida de consorcio
• Cicatrices y desfiguración
• Punitive damages in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct

Filing Deadlines You Cannot Ignore

New York’s statute of limitations gives most construction accident victims three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit against private parties. However, if any government entity is involved, the City of New York, the MTA, a city agency, or a municipal contractor, you may have as few as 90 days to file a Notice of Claim, with additional shorter deadlines that follow.

For workers’ compensation, you must notify your employer within 30 days of the injury and file a formal claim with the state within two years. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar you from receiving any compensation. Contact a Manhattan construction accident attorney as soon as possible after your injury.

Steps to Protect Your Claim

The decisions you make in the hours and days following a construction accident matter significantly. Where possible:

1. Report the accident to your employer or the construction site supervisor immediately.
2. Seek medical attention right away and tell your doctor that the injury occurred at a construction site.
3. Photograph the scene, including any absent or damaged safety equipment, the area where you fell or were struck, and any visible injuries.
4. Preserve the names and contact information of any witnesses.
5. Do not give recorded statements to insurance company representatives before speaking with an experienced construction accident attorney.
6. Contact Jacoby & Meyers, LLP for a free case evaluation.

Why Jacoby & Meyers for Your NYC Construction Accident Case

Jacoby & Meyers, LLP has represented injured New Yorkers for decades, and our Manhattan personal injury attorneys handle some of the most complex and high-value cases in the city. We are recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. We have recovered millions of dollars for construction accident victims and their families across Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

We work on a strict contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up front, and no attorney’s fees are owed unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Our firm also maintains a collaborative relationship with Fine, Olin & Anderman, LLP, a sister firm with more than 50 years of experience handling workers’ compensation and Social Security disability claims, giving our clients comprehensive support across every avenue of recovery.

Contact a Manhattan Construction Accident Attorney if You Were Hurt Doing Construction Work

If a construction accident has upended your life, the experienced legal team at Jacoby & Meyers is ready to help. Our Manhattan office is located at 39 Broadway, Suite 1910, New York, NY 10006. Call us or reach out online to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation. There is no fee unless we win.