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The recent Miami building collapse illustrates the devastating consequences of shoddy construction and maintenance. While many building owners may claim that New York building collapses are unexpected, many structural engineers and safety experts disagree with those claims. Regardless of the foreseeability of a collapse, these incidents can cause catastrophic and deadly injuries to anyone in the vicinity of the structure. Those affected by a building collapse should seek representation from a New York construction site accident attorney to discuss their rights and remedies.

In most situations, buildings will not collapse without cause or negligence; however, determining the exact cause of the collapse can be challenging. In many cases, the combining force of several defects and environmental factors may impact the severity of a collapse. The leading causes of building collapses can include:

  • Foundation defects
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Living in New York, large buildings are commonplace. Most residents can live their entire life in the city and never encounter a major problem with a building. However, the recent tragedy in Florida illustrates that building collapses are not unheard of and, when they occur, they can have disastrous implications.

Last week, an apartment building in Miami collapsed, killing at least eight and leaving more than 150 unaccounted for. The investigation into the collapse is so far taking a back seat to locating all missing residents; however, ultimately, state and federal investigators will look into what could have caused the huge building to collapse.

According to a recent news report, there is already some speculation as to what could have been done to prevent the catastrophe. For example, CNN recently published an article citing a letter written by the board president of the building. In the letter, she notes, “the concrete deterioration is accelerating. The roof situation got much worse, so extensive roof repairs had to be incorporated…the observable damage such as in the garage has gotten significantly worse since the initial inspection.” This leads to the natural question: why didn’t building management take the necessary steps to secure the building.

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Elevator accidents can inflict catastrophic injuries or even kill a worker at a construction site in New York. If you were injured in an elevator accident, it may be appropriate to sue under New York Labor Law 241(6). Recently, a falling elevator at a charter school under construction in the Bronx dropped four stories from the fourth floor to the ground. It killed a construction supervisor, while also seriously injuring the worker who was with him in the elevator cab. Both were carrying construction debris at the time.

 

The elevator accident occurred early in the morning. The construction crew was present at the site to convert the building into a charter school. Among other permits, the contractor had a permit to work on the elevator of the existing building. However, back in 2019 at the same site, workers fell twenty feet to their deaths through an opening in the second floor. Additionally, the construction site was temporarily shut down over the last year because their construction permits had expired.

 

Afterward, a stop-work order was placed on the site as the Building Department investigated the accident. Workers at the same site reported they didn’t know what had caused the elevator to drop. One worker said there were always proper safety measures taken at the site. However, as it should, the Building Department promised there would be a thorough investigation to determine whether the elevator accident occurred because safety rules were ignored.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the roofing industry consistently maintains its position as one of the most dangerous types of work. Statistics indicate that roofers experience the third-highest fatality rate of American workers. New York construction workers, such as roofers, who suffer serious injuries should contact an attorney to discuss their rights and remedies.

The most serious danger to construction workers, especially roofers, is the risk of falls. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported that nearly 40% of construction worker fatalities involved a falling accident. There are many causes of roofing fall accidents including, roof pitch, inclement weather, debris and slipping hazards, and electrocution. These dangerous angles and weather conditions, compounded with irregular surfaces, make falling accidents more likely to occur. In addition to falling off of a roof, workers may fall through a collapsing roof. This is an especially perilous situation as a collapsing roof often poses a danger to anyone in the vicinity of the roof.

For example, a recent news report described a construction accident stemming from a collapsed roof. According to officials, the construction worker was working on a demolition project when the building began to collapse. Witnesses stated that roof jacks were placed throughout the building. Emergency responders stated that the roof “completely caved in” and surrounded the man. Fire and Rescue workers extricated the worker from the building and transported him to a hospital. Tragically, the man succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital.

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A New York appellate court recently issued an opinion addressing contractor liability for defects resulting in a slip-and-fall. Generally, New York slip-and-falls fall under premises liability theories of negligence. Although slip-and-fall cases might seem straightforward, each case is unique and successful recovery depends on the property owner’s status and circumstances surrounding the fall. Common defendants in New York slip-and-fall cases are property owners, government or city entities, and construction or contracting companies.

Property owners maintain the duty to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. These duties include removing snow and ice from their property, ensuring that their stairs and elevators work properly, and securing their property from foreseeable criminal activities. However, reasonableness can be relative, and injury victims must prepare a compelling and legally sound case. Courts will look to various factors when determining whether a property owner’s conduct was reasonable. Some considerations include how long the defective or unsafe condition existed, and the amount of time the owner had to address the hazardous condition. Moreover, defendants will often impute fault on the victim, and plaintiffs must be able to address any contributory negligence claims.

In certain situations, the city may hold full responsibility for a slip-and-fall accident, such as when the accident:

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The pandemic brought many changes to the daily lives of Americans throughout the country. One of the significant changes was the decrease in the number of daily commuters. Despite lighter traffic, New York car accident fatalities soared. In 2020, over 240 individuals died in a New York City traffic accident. Historically, economic downfalls usually coincide with reduced traffic congestion and fewer fatal accidents. However, the pandemic seemed to have the opposite effect, and many individuals recklessly sped down empty highways in their cars and motorcycles. These actions resulted in a sharp increase in deadly New York city accidents. Data showed a 76% increase in fatality rates from the previous year. However, the pandemic did bring a decrease in fatalities involving pedestrians.

Many reasons may explain the increase in fatal accidents but tend to go back to the changes that coronavirus brought to city residents. With older adults locking down in place, younger drivers, who are more prone to speeding, took advantage of the emptier streets. Further, the increase in unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as alcohol and drug-use combined with speeding, resulted in disastrous consequences. Traffic experts noted that some areas issued more speeding tickets during Covid than they ever have before.

Additionally, officials noted that fatalities involving motorcyclists hit the highest level in nearly 30 years. Further, over half of the incidents involved operators who did not have a motorcycle license. Data suggest that the rise may be attributed to the growing number of young men seeking an outlet from lockdown.

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Hit-and-runs are one of the most devastating types of New York car accidents. These incidents are particularly egregious and often result in serious injuries and even death. After a hit-and-run accident, injury victims and their families often face an uphill battle trying to recover damages that cover the extent of their losses. A New York accident attorney can help families navigate these complex lawsuits.

Hit-and-run accidents occur when a driver leaves the scene of an accident without providing identifying information and rendering reasonable assistance to victims of the accident. Even if the accident does not appear to cause injuries, drivers must still stop and, at minimum, exchange insurance information. The failure to stop and provide information and assistance can leave vulnerable individuals in a harrowing position. Even short delays in medical treatment can have lifelong impacts on accident victims.

For instance, a New York news source recently reported on a tragic Westchester hit-and-run accident. Witnesses called police to report a man lying on the side of a roadway near Route 6. When police arrived, they discovered that the man died after being hit by a vehicle. A preliminary investigation revealed that a person traveling east on the road hit the victim and left the accident scene.

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New York construction site accidents typically involve a complex interplay of various statutes and regulations. Injury victims and their families who wish to pursue damages after a construction site injury should contact a New York personal injury attorney to discuss their rights and claims to damages. Construction sites are inherently dangerous workplaces, and construction site owners and managers should take steps to ensure a reasonably safe environment.

Workers at a construction site have the right to a safe environment. This standard applies to employees, independent contractors, and subcontractors. New York’s workers’ compensation laws prohibit employees from suing their employers for most work-related injuries; however, exceptions exist in limited situations. In some cases, subcontractors can sue the construction site manager if they suffer injuries at the worksite. A subcontractor who suffers injuries because of a general contractor’s or coworker’s negligence may be able to recover damages from the at-fault parties.

Construction site accidents may result from falls, falling debris, electrocutions, defective machinery, and collapses. These accidents may cause fractures, broken bones, internal organ damage, lacerations, burns, brain injuries, paralysis, and even death. For instance, a news source recently reported that a 60-year-old subcontractor died in a power station accident. Witnesses explained that crews from various construction companies were at the power station when a heavy pipe fell on him. The falling pipe slammed into his head and killed the man upon impact.

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Quantifying the impact of a car accident and potential lifelong pain can be an overwhelming task. Generally, New York law allows injury victims to claim economic, non-economic and, in some limited cases, punitive damages. No two New York car accidents are the same. Two individuals can be involved in the same incident and experience the same injuries but suffer different emotional trauma levels and pain. To this point, the law classifies pain and suffering under none-conomic damages. As there is no solid mathematical way to quantify pain and suffering, the amount of damages a victim recovers hinges on a solid and compelling case.

There are several approaches that attorneys and insurance companies utilize to determine pain and suffering damages. However, the most common methods include the multiplier method and the per diem approach. The multiplier method involves adding the total amount of economic damages and then multiplying that method by a number between 1.5 and 5. The multiplier number depends on the severity of the injury. The per diem approach involves assigning a dollar amount to every day the victim suffers from the injury until they recover. Most people present their daily earnings and argue that the injury pain is comparable to the effort of working every day.

These calculations include if the victim suffers from psychological issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, insomnia, appetite loss, and sexual dysfunction. Further, courts will look to alterations of the victim’s daily life, relational impacts, length of injuries, and life expectancy.

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Many people associate construction site accidents with falls and defective machinery; however, electrocutions often result in the most deadly injuries. New York construction sites often expose workers to hazardous conditions, including live wires and faulty electrical equipment. Additionally, a significant number of construction projects require workers to manage devices that have electricity running through them. The most common electrocution accidents on construction sites involve contact with overhead power lines, contact with live wires, and electrical currents.

Although electrocution accidents can happen out of nowhere, the majority of these accidents involve negligence. The electric source may be a wire, metal, or machinery. The electric shock occurs when the conductor sends a volt to a part of a person’s body. These types of accidents disproportionately affect electricians, power company employees, and construction workers. Many construction electrocutions happen when a worker touches an object that comes in contact with a live wire. Even indirect contact like this can cause a person to suffer the effects of a deadly electrical volt. Those in charge of a construction site should make sure to insulate or turn off power sources that can cause electrocution. Electrocutions are often deadly because the whole body experiences the volt at once.

For example, a New York news report recently described injuries an ironworker suffered at the Mineola station’s construction site. Transportation authorities stated that contractors were constructing a pedestrian bridge when a crane touched a high voltage line. The contact created an arc of electricity that resulted in an iron worker’s electrocution. The woman was transported to a local hospital and remained in critical condition.

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