Construction site accidents often result in significant injuries. Because construction work necessarily involves serious risks, specific laws, rules, and regulations protect workers on construction sites. An experienced lawyer can advise you as to whether your accident was caused by a violation of these legal requirements.
Those who work at elevated heights during a construction, excavation, or demolition project benefit from the absolute liability provisions of Section 240 of the New York Labor Law, sometimes called the "scaffold statute" (even though it deals with more than scaffolds), which requires that the sites of all construction, excavation, and demolition jobs be properly equipped with safety devices (for example, scaffolds, ladders, hoists, etc.) which will protect workers from elevation-related risks (including falling from heights and being injured by falling objects). Absolute liability means that you can recover money damages for the full value of your injuries even if your own negligence contributed to the happening of the accident.
The scaffold statute imposes absolute liability on owners and contractors who do not provide proper safety devices at commercial jobsites because the legislature wanted to make sure that those who work at heights are protected from the unusual risks associated with such work.
If you have been injured on a construction site, call Mike at 1-800-283-5297 (toll-free nationwide) for a FREE evaluation of your case, servicing in Utica, Rome, New Hartford, Whitesboro, Camden, Boonville, Waterville, Deansboro, Clinton and the surrounding NY areas.