Construction Accident Lawyers in New York

New York protects construction workers more forcefully than almost any state in the country. Two statutes — Labor Law §240 and §241(6) — can hold property owners and general contractors directly responsible when a safety failure causes serious injury. If you were hurt on a job site, understanding these laws is the difference between a small claim and a full recovery.

We’ve spent years handling construction injury cases across New York, and the pattern repeats: the danger was known, the protection was missing, and the worker paid for it. The law says the owner and contractor should pay instead.

The Scaffold Law: Labor Law §240

Section 240, known as the Scaffold Law, covers gravity-related hazards — falls from heights and objects falling onto workers. It requires owners and contractors to provide proper protection: secure scaffolds, ladders, hoists, harnesses, and safety devices that actually work.

What makes §240 powerful is that it imposes absolute liability when a violation causes a fall or a struck-by injury. If the required protection wasn’t provided and that failure caused your harm, the owner and contractor can be liable even if you made a mistake. Your own comparative fault, which reduces recovery in most cases, generally doesn’t defeat a valid §240 claim.

Common §240 situations

• Falls from scaffolds, ladders, roofs, and elevated platforms
• Collapsing or improperly secured scaffolding
• Objects, tools, or materials falling from above
• Missing or defective harnesses, tie-offs, and guardrails

Safety-code violations: Labor Law §241(6)

Section 241(6) reaches beyond falls. It requires job sites to comply with specific safety regulations in the New York Industrial Code — rules on debris, flooring, protective equipment, and hazardous conditions. When a defendant violates a concrete Industrial Code provision and that violation injures you, §241(6) provides a path to liability. Here your own care can factor in under pure comparative negligence — which still governs construction claims — but a proven code violation still shifts responsibility onto the owner and contractor.

Undocumented workers are protected

This matters and it’s often misunderstood. Undocumented workers can recover under New York’s Labor Law. Immigration status does not bar a construction injury claim, and you should not let fear keep you from asserting your rights. We handle these cases discreetly and protect our clients throughout.

A real result

A construction worker we represented suffered a torn rotator cuff on the job and recovered $650,000. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case turns on its own facts — the severity of the injury, the nature of the violation, and the proof. What that result reflects is the approach: build the liability case on the statute, then document the injury fully.

What to do after a job-site injury

1. Get medical care immediately and tell the provider it was a work injury.
2. Report the accident to your supervisor, and note any missing safety equipment.
3. Identify witnesses and photograph the scene and equipment if you can.
4. Speak with a lawyer before giving recorded statements to an insurer.

Workers’ compensation may cover part of your losses, but a Labor Law claim against the owner or contractor can reach damages comp doesn’t — including full pain and suffering. The two often run together, and we coordinate both.

Deadlines you can’t miss

You generally have three years to bring a personal injury lawsuit in New York. If a public project or government entity is involved, a Notice of Claim within 90 days may be required. Evidence on a job site disappears fast — equipment gets repaired, conditions change — so acting early protects your case.

Talk to a partner-led firm

Sullivan & Brill has eight New York offices and more than 30 years handling serious injury claims. We pledge to represent you as one of our own. The consultation is free, we work on contingency, and we’re available 24/7. Review our case results, learn about premises liability claims, or contact us to discuss your job-site injury.