How Dangerous Are High-Rise Window Cleaning Accidents in NYC and What to Do After

High-rise window cleaning is inherently dangerous. The risks increase if window washers are not provided with proper safety equipment and training, which can result in catastrophic, even fatal accidents in NYC. The steps you take after such an accident can impact your recovery both physically and financially.

Our NYC window washing accident lawyers are here to really listen to your story and determine the right course of action. Oresky & Associates, PLLC, will go the extra mile to get you just compensation.

How Many Window Washers Die a Year?

Data from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) shows how dangerous window cleaning is: during the two-year period from January 2022 to December 2023, seven window washers died nationwide. All but one of these workers were killed by falls from elevated heights, including a New York worker who fell four stories out of an open window.

Several of these accidents involved inadequate safety measures or dangerous window cleaning conditions. Had the workers been provided a reasonably safe environment, their deaths could have been avoided.

Common Injuries After Window Cleaning Accidents in NYC

Window cleaning is dangerous because workers are often suspended many stories off the ground with little more than a scaffold, basket, or bosun chair for protection. If something goes wrong with that piece of equipment — for example, the employer fails to have it maintained or refuses to upgrade to newer, safer models — the window washer could fall dozens, if not hundreds, of feet.

Such extreme falls result in life-altering injuries like:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Broken bones
• Back injury
• Concussions ranging in severity
• Nerve damage
• Spinal cord injury

In all too many cases, these injuries result in wrongful death.

These and other catastrophic injuries cause severe distress for workers and their families, including:

• Past and future pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Loss of wages, earning capacity, or ability to work
• Loss of job benefits, such as union benefits
• Emergency and lifelong medical expenses

The work injury lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC, will pursue all of the damages you are entitled to after a window washing accident.

What to Do in Case of a Commercial Window Washing Accident in NYC

If you or someone you love were injured in a high-rise window cleaning accident, it is vital that you protect yourself and your rights by:

Getting Medical Attention for Accident Injuries

Prompt care could prevent unnecessary suffering. It also creates an official medical record of your injury’s cause, symptoms, and treatment plan.

Reporting Your Window Cleaning Accident

Tell your employer and the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) about your accident promptly. This is the first step to filing a workers’ compensation claim for benefits like medical care and lost wages.

Preserving Materials Related to the High-Rise Accident

This could include communications you had with others about your work environment or bills that document accident-related expenses.

Contacting Our NYC Work Accident Lawyers

Our legal team knows how to handle scaffolding accidents related to window washing. We will manage your entire case, from compiling evidence to negotiating a settlement, while you focus on recovering from your injuries or processing the loss of a loved one.

Pursuing Compensation for Your Window Washing Injuries

There may be multiple ways you can recover damages for your injuries. While workers’ compensation benefits are a critical source of financial support, you could seek a much wider range of damages by suing for your work-related injuries.

Filing a personal injury lawsuit allows you to hold accountable those who caused your injuries. Under Labor Law 240(1), potential liable parties in cases involving falls from elevations include general contractors and certain building owners. In addition, Labor Law Section 202 provides protections for window washers. Owners, managers, and contractors are required to provide safe means for cleaning windows and exterior surfaces. Compensation can be sought from responsible parties.  

Our personal injury attorneys in NYC will identify the at-fault party in your case and aggressively pursue just compensation.

Take Action After Your NYC Accident

Oresky & Associates, PLLC, understands how dangerous high-rise window cleaning is and will fight hard to preserve your rights. Call (718) 993-9999 to speak to our bilingual firm today.

Free Consultation

Overcoming Common Challenges in High-Rise Window Cleaning Accident Cases in NY

As you navigate the claims process, you will likely encounter resistance from the insurance companies and other parties.

Our New York legal team is prepared to defend you against any and all challenges, including:

• Inappropriate settlement offers. We will not let the insurer get away with offering less than you are entitled to or pushing you to accept an inadequate settlement. Our legal representatives negotiate hard for an amount that reflects everything you have lost.
• Denials of liability. Some liable parties refuse to admit they were negligent. We are always ready to go to trial and work to persuade a jury that you qualify for damages.

Through careful investigation and attention to detail, the window cleaning accident lawyers at our firm can anticipate and counter every obstacle.

Fall Accident Victims Have Rights

High-rise window cleaning is a dangerous profession. Oresky & Associates, PLLC, has spent over 30 years advocating for people like you, making it easier for injured workers and their families to recover the compensation they need after devastating accidents. We are here to answer all of your questions and explain everything you need to know.

Call (718) 993-9999 today to find out what you should do after a window washing accident. Our NYC personal injury lawyers will hold all at-fault parties accountable, regardless of your immigration status or the complexity of your case.