Debris Trip and Fall Accidents at NY Construction Worksites

Employers Are Legally Required to Keep Work Areas and Stairways Clear

A trip-and-fall accident can leave a construction worker with serious injuries: broken bones, head trauma, knee or shoulder joint damage, or a spinal cord injury, to name a few. Some of the most preventable types of fall hazards are those caused by debris left on stairways, walkways, and in work areas. Employers have a general duty to maintain clear pathways and stairs, but too many construction site owners fail to meet those expectations. Common items cluttering work areas include:

Unused tools, like saws and shears.
Materials, like unused pallets and bailing wire.
Solid waste and debris like scrap metal.
Debris that conceals holes in floors or the ground.

Pasternack, Tilker, Ziegler, Walsh, Stanton & Romano LLP does not let the workers’ compensation system get away with flimsy reasons to reduce your benefits or reject your claim. We place the highest value on your recovery and demand maximum compensation for your injuries. For 90 years, our New York workers’ compensation lawyers have provided strong, evidence-backed arguments that get the results injured workers deserve.

If you were injured in a trip and fall accident at work, contact us for a free case consultation to learn more about the value of your claim and your legal options. An experienced trip and fall lawyer at our NYC law firm can help you every step of the way.

What causes debris trip and fall accidents?

Negligent property owners and irresponsible companies working at the site are often to blame for slip, trip and fall accidents caused by hazardous debris, especially at construction sites. Each year, more than 35 percent of construction accident fatalities occur due to slip, trip and fall accidents, OSHA reports. Some causes of these trip and fall injuries include:

Bad lighting, making it difficult to see obstacles.
Unmarked hazards.
Poor maintenance.
Lack of supervision.
Lack of safety equipment.
Failure to address hazardous debris in a timely manner.

Building owners, construction companies and other businesses responsible for making properties safe for everyone to use need to be held accountable for their actions when trip and fall accidents occur. That’s our job. That’s why our NYC trip and fall lawyers want to meet with you right away.

Common injuries from trips on workplace debris

After a trip and fall over debris, some of the most common injuries suffered by construction workers include:

Eye injuries, which can lead to visual impairment or blindness.
Broken bones, typically in the hand, arm, wrist, face, leg, ankle, foot, or knee.
Neck pain, shoulder pain, or back pain due to torn, strained, or pulled muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments (this is often known as a musculoskeletal disorder or MSD injury).
Puncture injuries to the torso, lung, stomach, neck, or arms.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) like concussions.
Electrocution should the trip propel an employee into electrical wires or energized equipment.
Herniated discs, bulging discs, and sciatica.

Do I have a NY workers’ compensation case?

An employee injured due to a trip or fall at a construction site work area or stairway will usually file a claim for NY workers’ compensation. You can file a claim regardless of fault or negligence on the part of your employer, or even if the accident was your own fault. There are only a few very limited exceptions, such as intentionally injuring yourself.

Workers’ compensation pays for the full cost of medical treatment for your work injury. It also provides partial replacement of lost wages and certain benefits for permanent injuries. If you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, death benefits are available as well.

When someone or something outside of your employer causes your work accident injury, you may also be able to file a third-party lawsuit or personal injury claim to recover damages. Our NY work accident lawyers can investigate the incident and get to the bottom of who caused your injury. We will fight to hold the liable party accountable.

We know how to maximize the value of your work injury claim

When calculating your benefits, Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP places the highest value on your case. If the insurance company tries to downplay the extent of your injuries or disputes whether treatment is necessary, we push back with proof the insurance company cannot ignore.

There are strict and short deadlines you must meet to successfully file for workers’ comp and injury compensation. Our NYC construction accident lawyers have recovered billions for more than 100,000 work accident victims across the city – The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and surrounding communities. Don’t let your employer and the insurance company tell you how to recover. Take control of your work injury. Contact us to schedule your free case consultation today.