Construction Worker Fell into Elevator Shaft Impaled on Steel Bars after Fall

A worker was seriously injured in a construction accident after falling into an elevator shaft. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the victim was impaled on four pieces of steel rebar after he fell five stories in the elevator shaft of a building in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. The man plunged about 50 feet down a shaft in the building on West 17th Street. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

Safety Violations
A fellow construction worker said the injured man fell from the fourth floor to the basement. Pieces of steel bars used to reinforce concrete pierced his abdomen and lower body. The worker also told the Daily News that the construction company should have placed orange caps on the points of the rebar as required by the city’s construction code. A building official said the injured worker fell off a ladder while installing sheet rock on a ceiling frame.
A preliminary investigation by the New York City Department of Buildings has found that the worker was not equipped with the proper safety gear at the time of the accident. A harness or covering of the shaftway may have helped prevent the accident and injuries, officials said. The project already had a history of safety violations. In August officials slapped a $1,000 fine against the building owners and developer for unsafe or improper use of elevator or hoisting equipment. In that case, the hoistway doors were not properly secured posing the risk of a fall down the elevator shaft. Even though the fine was paid the problem was not fixed, officials said.
Rise in Construction Accidents
According to city statistics, construction accident injuries in New York City rose by 34 percent from 211 in Fiscal Year 2014 to 283 in Fiscal Year 2015. Fatalities also nearly doubled from six in 2014 to 11 in the year 2015. A number of recent incidents in the city underscore a seemingly callous disregard for construction site safety by various parties and construction accident fatalities have disproportionately involved immigrant workers – both documented and undocumented.
This increase in injuries and fatalities does come at a time of significant growth in construction activity in New York City. However, that should not be the case. Falls are the most common cause of serious injury and death in construction sites. It is the responsibility of the construction company, general contractors and property owners and/or property managers, etc. to ensure that working conditions are safe and that all precautions have been taken to prevent falls. Workers should also be equipped with fall safety devices such as harnesses, guardrails and safety nets.
Compensation for Injured Workers
Workers face significant physical, emotional and financial burdens in the aftermath of a catastrophic construction accident. Injured victims may need extended hospitalization, multiple surgeries and rehabilitative treatment in order to recover. In some cases where catastrophic injuries such as internal organ damage has occurred, workers may never be able to return to work or earn a livelihood.
Those injured on the job can seek workers’ compensation benefits from employers. In addition, workers may also be able to file a third-party claim for considerable monetary damages against a party other than the employer such as a general contractor, sub-contractor, building owner, building manager etc. Families that have lost loved ones in construction accidents can file for workers’ compensation death benefits and/or file a third-party claim, for large money damages.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a workplace 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. For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. 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 that year. Our law firm also did recover $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft.
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.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/flatiron-district-construction-worker-falls-badly-injured-article-1.2510928