Worker Extricated After Becoming Stuck Following Lower East Side Fall
LOWER EAST SIDE, NEW YORK (June 25, 2023) – A worker was injured after falling between two buildings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
New York City police officials are saying that the collision took place around 9:09 a.m. on Thursday. The worker fell approximately 30 feet and became trapped in a narrow space between two buildings.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the accident in order to help the worker. The FDNY cut a wall open between the two buildings and were able to pull the victim through the gap.
He has since been transported to a local hospital where he has been listed in stable condition. A full investigation into the Lower East Side fall remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Lower East Side Construction Accidents
Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death at construction sites. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2020, 805 workers died in falls, and 211,640 were injured badly enough to require days off of work. A worker doesn’t have [to] fall from a high level to suffer fatal injuries; 136 workers were killed in falls on the same level in 2020.” There are several steps that construction companies can take in order to prevent falls.
- Workers should be provided personal fall arrest systems when they have to work at six feet or higher.
- Workers should be trained to identify hazards that appear at their job site.
- Work sites should be free of clutter and tripping hazards.
Building owners and general contractors are strictly liable for gravity related accidents under New York Labor Law 240. This includes instances when a worker falls or is struck by a falling object. Construction owners and contractors must provide scaffolds and other safety measures to protect workers from falls. Failure to provide this could form the basis of a legal claim. For the statute to apply a worker must have been performing a qualifying task including:
- The erection of a building.
- The demolition of a building.
- The repairing of a building.
- The altering of a building.
- The painting of a building.
- The cleaning of a building.
Most workplace falls are totally preventable. They tend to happen when construction companies fail to follow safety codes. Any person that is injured in a Lower East Side construction accident may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim. Sadly, though, it is common for construction companies to deny responsibility if one of their workers is injured. It is important to seek legal advice as early as possible after any workplace fall.
Investigating New York City Construction Falls
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to the worker injured in this Lower East Side construction accident. It is our sincere hope that he will be able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to OSHA.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a New York City construction accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of highly experienced construction accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
