Window Washing Accident Lawyer in NYC

Oresky & Associates, PLLC, Is Your Trusted NYC Workplace Injury Lawyer Firm

Window washing is a necessary but dangerous profession. If you are not provided with the right safety equipment, you could suffer severe injuries in a fall or other type of accident. Our NYC personal injury lawyers fight for just compensation on behalf of those injured on the job.

Call Oresky & Associates, PLLC, at (718) 993-9999 to learn more today. We offer free consultations and can assist you in English or Spanish.

How Our Personal Injury Lawyers Will Help Commercial Window Washers in Case of a Workplace Accident

Oresky & Associates, PLLC, always puts clients first. We understand that this accident has upended your life, and we do everything possible to assist injured workers in the following ways:

Conduct a Thorough Investigation

We will collect evidence concerning how your accident happened and how your injuries have affected your life. Then we will present this evidence to the insurer and the court.

Seek Just Compensation

Most cases settle out of court, but some go to trial. Our legal team can handle your case no matter what legal actions it requires.

Handle All Paperwork and Communication

We will speak to the liable party and their representatives for you. Our team can also file and maintain important documentation related to your case.

How Common Are Window Cleaning Accidents?

Window washers often work while suspended many stories off the ground with minimal protection. They are therefore at great risk of suffering severe or even fatal fall injuries.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), falls to lower levels are one of the most common causes of both fatal and nonfatal workplace injuries. Workers who survive such falls frequently need to take time off or transfer to a new position. An NYC work injury lawyer from our legal team will pursue appropriate compensation for all of your losses.

Main Causes of New York Window Cleaning Accidents

Too often, window washing accidents result from someone else’s negligence. Examples of negligence include:

• Not providing workers with reasonable training or legally mandated safety equipment (e.g., harnesses, ropes, lanyard, and safety belts)
• Renting tools or equipment without vetting the companies that own or maintain the equipment
• Pressuring workers to operate under unsafe conditions (e.g., bad weather or a rushed schedule)
• Failing to address complaints about workplace conditions

Factors Affecting Compensation in Window Washing Accident Cases

Our window washing accident lawyers can fight for compensation by negotiating with the liable party’s insurance company, by taking your case to trial, and/or by working closely with our affiliated workers’ compensation attorneys to get you workers’ compensation benefits. The damages you receive depend on:

• What kind of claim you file: In addition to workers’ comp benefits, you may be entitled to file a claim for damages for personal injuries and pain and suffering as well as related damages.
• How severe your injuries are: Your compensation should reflect your losses, so the more you have lost, the more you can recover in damages.

Receiving the compensation you need is not always easy, even if you are legally entitled to that compensation. Our attorneys in New York will determine what kind of claim you should file and guide you through the legal process.

Common Injuries in Window Washing Accidents

The NSC reports that falls from heights often result in:

• Muscle tears, strains, and sprains
• Bone fractures
• Back injuries
• Leg injuries
• Death

The farther you fall, the more catastrophic your injury is likely to be. In a worst-case scenario, your loved one might lose their life in such an accident, or you might be permanently disabled by an amputation or spinal cord injury.

Window washing accidents might also result in nerve damage, crush injuries, or traumatic brain injuries.

Our NYC Workplace Injury Attorneys Tackle These Types of Window Cleaning Accident Cases

We assist clients who suffered many types of life-threatening accidents, including:

• Falls from elevations: A worker may fall off equipment like a scaffold or a ladder, or they may fall along with collapsing equipment that was not set up or maintained properly.
• Falling objects: If tools or materials used at elevations are not secured, they could fall and hit workers on a lower level.
• Electric shocks: Tools that short circuit or malfunction can cause electric shocks or even fatal electrocutions. Such injuries may also happen if the worker comes into contact with a source of electricity that they were not warned about.

New York Labor Legislation: Protecting Workers in Window-Washing Accidents

Window cleaners in New York City are protected by laws like the following:

• Labor Law 202: This law protects window cleaners by requiring the provision and use of safety equipment.
• Labor Law 240: Also called the Scaffold Law, this statute requires contractors and some building owners to ensure that workers engaged in certain activities (including cleaning) have adequate protection.
• WKC 10: This law requires that almost all employers in New York State carry workers’ compensation insurance. This gives injured employees the right to pursue workers’ comp benefits if they get hurt on the job.

If your rights were violated, our attorneys for work injury in NYC will identify the law that applies to your case and pursue justice from the party or parties who ignored that law.

Who Is Liable for a Window-Washing Accident In New York?

That depends on how your accident happened. Oresky & Associates, PLLC, represents workers in cases where the liable parties are:

Building Owners/Property Managers

Under New York’s Scaffold Law, certain building owners and managers may be 100% liable for fall-related injuries.

Contractors

Contractors who have control over worksite operations are also responsible for ensuring workers are safe and providing access to protective equipment, especially fall protection.

What Damages Can I Recover After a Window Cleaning Work Injury?

The damages you can recover vary based on what kind of claim you file. A workers’ compensation claim could entitle you to:

• Medical care
• Lost wages
• Permanent disability benefits

In fatal accident cases, the workers’ surviving relatives can pursue weekly cash payments and reimbursement for funeral expenses.

A personal injury claim allows you to seek damages for all of your suffering, not just losses that fit within the categories listed above. The New York City window washing accident attorneys on our legal team will fight for compensation for your:

• Past and future pain and suffering
• Loss of union benefits and other job benefits
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of earning capacity
• Reduced quality of life

If you lost a loved one in a window washing accident, you could qualify for damages based on loss of financial support and your loved one’s pain and suffering.

Can I Get Compensation Even If I’m Blamed for a Window Washing Accident?

You may still be entitled to compensation, even if you’re partially to blame for your window washing injuries. Under New York’s “pure” comparative negligence law, injured workers can recover damages even if they share some responsibility for the incident.

Actually, under the law, you can still receive money even if your actions contributed to the accident more than the defendants’ actions. However, your compensation will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. If you've been injured, speaking with our experienced attorneys can protect your rights.

What to Do After a Window Washing Accident in New York: Your Guide to Receiving Compensation

It is easy to become overwhelmed, frightened, and confused after a work accident. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and your rights starting immediately after the injury. Our work injury lawyer in NYC recommends that you:

Ensure Safety

This is your top priority. If possible, move away from possible hazards (e.g., equipment in danger of falling), and warn others to stay away from the accident scene.

Report the Accident

Not only does telling your employer about the injury preserve your right to workers’ compensation, it also provides documentary evidence that your injury occurred at work.

Document the Scene

If you are not too badly injured to do so, take photos or video footage of your injuries, the worksite, and any equipment involved in the accident.

Obtain Witness Information

Note who is at the worksite with you. Get their names and contact information so our window washing accidents lawyers can speak to them later.

Seek Medical Attention

Get medical help by calling 911 or visiting a medical facility. Allow your doctor to run all necessary tests to diagnose your injury, then follow all of their instructions.

File a Workers' Compensation Claim (If Applicable)

If you are an employee eligible for workers’ comp benefits, our affiliated workers’ compensation lawyers will assist you in filing your claim.

Consult Our New York Work Injury Attorney

We will handle all legal matters on your behalf so you do not have to worry about dealing with insurance companies or accidentally compromising your rights.

We Represent Injured Window Washers

After a high rise window cleaning accident, call Oresky & Associates, PLLC, at (718) 993-9999 for legal guidance.

Free Consultation

Our Personal Injury Attorneys in NYC Help Uncover Liability

Proving who is liable in your case requires us to collect evidence and build a casefile. While you are recuperating, our work injury lawyers will review:

• Internal company records, including accident reports
• Reports from experts
• Testimony from the liable party
• Surveillance footage
• Witness statements

Our NYC Attorneys Handle Time-Sensitive Cases

You have a limited time to pursue compensation, regardless of whether you seek workers’ compensation benefits or personal injury damages. If you do not report your injury to your employer and/or file your case in time, you may not receive anything.

Oresky & Associates, PLLC, urges you to contact us right after you receive medical attention. This gives us the maximum possible amount of time to investigate your case and file the necessary paperwork.

We Determine the Value of Your Window Washer Injury Claim

Insurance companies often resist paying a just amount in work accident cases. They might offer less than you deserve, refuse to negotiate, or insist that your case is not worth as much as you think it is.

Do not let the insurer take advantage of you during such a difficult time. Our window washing accident lawyers will work with you to figure out how much your case is worth. This way, if the insurer offers a settlement, you will be able to tell if it is appropriate. We will review each settlement offer with you before you decide whether or not to accept it.