2014 Proves Deadly for New York City Construction Workers

 At least seven people have died as a result of construction accidents in New York City, making 2014 one of the deadliest years recently for construction workers. According to reports, data show that workers and members of the public are not necessarily better off from a safety point of view than they were during the last real estate boom. Earlier this month, a worker died at a meatpacking district construction site and the following day, four construction workers were hospitalized after a heavy marble banister gave way at an office tower worksite.

Spike in Construction Fatalities
Last year, construction accident fatalities more than doubled compared to 2013. There were eight fatalities in 2014, according to statistics from the Department of Buildings, which inspects construction sites and issues violations to developers for unsafe worksite conditions. 2015 is also on track to be another year with a high number of construction fatalities.
Statistics also show that construction sites are not getting any safer. Even though the number of deaths have dropped from 19 in 2008, at the peak of the construction boom, to eight in 2014, the number of accidents has spiked to 231 from 151 over the same period, reflecting more than a 50 percent increase. Last year, the city issued about 142,000 building permits, up 20 percent from 2008. That number is expected to rise this year.
Causes and Compensation Issues
What’s causing this spike in New York City construction accidents? Just looking at recent accidents, we see that a number of mishaps occur when workers fall or when they are struck by falling debris. This year’s fatal construction accidents included a gas explosion, a pedestrian who died after being struck by a flying piece of plywood and workers falling down elevator shafts and victims getting crushed by metal beams. The city will need to investigate each one of these incidents and determine if any safety procedures were violated at these worksites and how these tragedies may have been prevented.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job – one of the highest construction case settlements in New York in 2010.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: New York Daily News