If you were injured in a construction accident in Queens, state law provides important protections for workers like you, including safeguards designed to hold responsible parties accountable when safety failures lead to injuries.
Ongoing Development Keeps Construction Workers Busy Across Queens
Queens is one of New York City’s largest and most active boroughs, with construction projects ranging from residential developments and commercial buildings to transportation and infrastructure improvements.
While this work helps support growth throughout the borough, it also exposes construction workers to serious risks. Falls, falling objects, unsafe worksite conditions, and other hazards can lead to severe injuries that affect a worker’s health, income, and future.
Long Island City’s High-Rise Construction Boom
Long Island City has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, with new developments continuing to reshape the neighborhood’s skyline. Construction activity remains especially active around areas such as Queens Plaza and Court Square, where large projects are expected to continue for years to come.
Residential and Commercial Development in Astoria and Flushing
Construction activity extends well beyond Long Island City’s high-rise projects. Throughout Queens, residential, mixed-use, and affordable housing developments continue to reshape established neighborhoods while creating ongoing demand for skilled tradespeople and construction labor.
With mixed-use projects, redevelopment efforts near major transit corridors, and new apartment buildings in Astoria, construction injuries can occur whenever workers are not provided with adequate protection against known job site hazards. Development continues in Flushing as well, where construction workers play a vital role in new housing, commercial projects, and community-focused investments supporting the neighborhood’s growth.
Ongoing Airport and Infrastructure Projects Near JFK and LaGuardia
Queens is home to some of the region’s largest infrastructure projects, including the ongoing redevelopment of John F. Kennedy International Airport and the recent transformation of LaGuardia Airport. These large-scale projects involve years of construction activity, major terminal and roadway improvements, and coordination among numerous contractors and trades.
Airport construction projects often involve multiple contractors and subcontractors working simultaneously across large project areas. While this coordination is necessary to keep projects moving forward, it also create situations where responsibility for workplace safety is shared among several parties.
New York Labor Laws Protect Queens Construction Workers
Construction workers are protected by several New York laws that address common jobsite hazards and establish safety obligations on certain property owners, contractors, and other parties involved in construction projects. These laws include:
- Labor Law 240(1), often called the Scaffold Law, protects workers performing certain elevation-related work. It applies to many accidents involving falls from heights and falling objects.
- Labor Law 241(6) requires construction, demolition, and excavation work to comply with specific safety regulations contained in New York’s Industrial Code.
- Labor Law 200 generally requires owners and contractors to provide workers with a reasonably safe place to work.
These laws work together to address the wide range of hazards that may be present on a construction site.
Don’t Let Blame Keep You From Exploring Your Rights
New York’s labor laws recognize that workplace safety is not the responsibility of the workers performing the job but is the duty of certain building owners, contractors, and other parties. Those entities have legal obligations to provide proper safety equipment, address known hazards, and comply with workplace safety requirements. A worker’s injuries could be caused by:
- Missing or inadequate safety equipment
- Dangerous conditions on a worksite that the responsible party failed to address.
- One or more parties’ failure to follow safety regulations.
Even if you believe you made a mistake, that does not mean you are prohibited from bringing a lawsuit and recovering damages. Apart from limited circumstances, the Scaffold Law holds certain building owners and contractors absolutely liable when workers are injured in covered gravity-related accidents because proper safety protections were not provided.
Construction accidents are often more complicated than they first appear, and workers should not accept blame before having a Queens construction accident lawyer review their cases.
What Workers Should Do After an Accident in Queens
Taking a few important steps after an accident on a worksite helps protect your health, your financial well-being, and your ability to pursue compensation.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if an injury initially seems minor, some construction accident injuries become more serious over time. Prompt medical treatment helps identify injuries early and document the harm you suffered.
- Report the accident. Notify a supervisor, employer, or other appropriate party as soon as possible. Reporting the incident creates a paper trail of what happened and may be important if you later pursue workers’ compensation benefits or another claim.
- Document the scene if you can do so safely. Photographs of the worksite, equipment involved, visible injuries, and hazardous conditions help preserve important evidence. If coworkers witnessed the accident, their observations are also valuable.
- Be cautious about accepting blame. As discussed above, construction accidents are more complicated than they first appear. A worker may not know whether missing safety equipment, unsafe conditions, or violations of New York labor laws contributed to the accident.
- Learn about your legal options. Construction workers have rights under New York laws that provide for various ways of pursuing compensation. Understanding your options will help you make informed decisions about what comes next.
Taking these steps cannot undo a serious injury, but they help protect your interests during an uncertain and stressful time.
Common Concerns After a Queens Construction Accident
Language barriers, immigration concerns, and informal employment arrangements sometimes leave injured workers unsure of their rights after a construction accident.
Language Barriers and Understanding Your Rights
In Queens, Latino construction workers who primarily speak Spanish may hesitate to report an injury or ask questions about a claim because they are concerned about communicating clearly. However, a worker’s ability to speak English does not determine whether they have legal rights after a construction accident.
Spanish-speaking workers deserve to understand what happened, what benefits or claims are available, and what steps they should take next. Our team works directly with Spanish-speaking injury victims so they can fully understand their rights and ask questions in the language they are most comfortable using.
Off-the-Books Employment Does Not Eliminate Legal Protections
Some workers are paid in cash, hired informally, or told they are independent contractors. Others, like undocumented immigrants from Latin America and South and East Asia, may worry that their immigration status will prevent them from seeking help. These concerns are common in construction accident cases, but they do not eliminate a worker’s rights.
The facts of the job, the accident, and the parties involved matter. Workers should not assume that the way they were hired determines whether they have legal options after a serious injury.
Real Queens Construction Accident Cases Handled by Oresky & Associates, PLLC
The people who build Queens deserve safe job sites and fair treatment when something goes wrong. Unfortunately, injured workers are not always met with the compassion and support they deserve after a serious accident. At Oresky & Associates, PLLC, we have seen firsthand the serious consequences construction accidents have on workers and their families.
One construction worker suffered serious injuries after falling approximately 15 to 18 feet from an unsecured extension ladder while performing siding work on a residential renovation project in Queens. No lifelines, tie-offs, or safety harnesses had been provided. The fall resulted in significant facial injuries, as well as neck and back injuries that required extensive treatment. Oresky & Associates, PLLC, secured a $4 million settlement on the worker’s behalf.
In another construction accident, a worker was struck in the head by a falling beam while working below an active construction area in Queens. The impact caused loss of consciousness and severe injuries that ultimately required multiple surgeries and prevented the worker from returning to his job. We secured a $4.5 million settlement to help him address the lasting impact the injuries had on his health, livelihood, and future.
Our firm also represented a construction worker who was buried beneath debris when a wall and concrete beam collapsed during demolition work in Queens. The collapse caused multiple fractures and other serious injuries that required hospitalization, surgery, and a lengthy recovery. Oresky & Associates, PLLC, obtained a $7.3 million settlement to help support the worker’s ongoing medical needs and future care.
When preventable safety failures cause serious injuries, Oresky & Associates, PLLC, is committed to helping workers and their families pursue accountability and financial stability during a difficult time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I Work in Queens but Live in Another Borough?
Living in another borough does not affect your rights after a construction accident in Queens. New York labor laws still apply based on the work being performed and the circumstances of the accident. Whether you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, or elsewhere, you still have legal options after a serious workplace injury in Queens.
Are JFK and LaGuardia Projects Governed by Labor Law 240?
The Scaffold Law applies to work performed on airport projects, just as it applies to other construction sites throughout New York. Whether the law applies in a specific instance depends on the nature of the work being performed and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Standing Up for Injured Construction Workers in Queens
At Oresky & Associates, PLLC, we have spent more than 30 years standing up for injured New Yorkers. We believe construction workers deserve to be treated with dignity, have their questions answered honestly, and understand the options available to them after a serious injury. If you or a loved one has been hurt on a construction site in Queens, our team is here to listen, provide guidance, and help you pursue the compensation you need.
Call us at (929) 209-4492 for a free consultation.