An injured worker was rescued after falling between two buildings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. According to a WABC news report, the construction site accident occurred on Broome Street between Attorney and Clinton streets the morning of June 22. The worker fell about 30 feet, which is about three stories, FDNY officials said. Firefighters cut a wall open and were then able to pull the man from the gap.
Complex Rescue Operation
Officials said they were able to breach the wall and send a rescue medic to the victim before transporting him to an area hospital. Authorities say the worker gained consciousness and was in stable condition. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening. He was awake and talking to emergency personnel the entire time, but complained of some pain to his head, according to reports.
FDNY officials said the rescue was successful, but “very difficult” because of the solid concrete wall. Members took about half an hour to breach the wall, making a cut about 6 feet wide by 2 feet high. They were then able to pull the worker through the hole. The building was under construction at the time of the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured worker and we wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Violations and Stop-Work Order
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) issued their preliminary report and found that the worker had fallen from a pipe scaffolding on the building’s third floor. DOB investigators said the third-floor scaffolding was covered in debris and that the area between the two buildings where the worker got stuck was left uncovered. After the inspection DOB officials placed a stop-work order on the site and issued violations for “inadequate housekeeping” and for the site’s “failure to safeguard” workers, according to the WABC report.
When construction companies or contractors fail to follow safety precautions or do not provide workers with personal protective equipment including fall safety devices, there is potential for severe injuries including head trauma, spinal cord damage, broken bones and internal injuries.
Construction Accident Lawsuits
Workers injured in construction accidents may be able to file a claim against the construction company, contractor and property owner/manager, etc. responsible for the safety of the jobsite. Construction accident injuries can be debilitating and sometimes, even catastrophic or fatal. A construction accident victim can seek workers’ compensation benefits from his or her employer to cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. In addition, workers may also be able to file a third-party claim against a negligent (careless) party other than the employer or co-employees for significant monetary damages and have two sources of compensation available for their losses.
Third-party claims are filed against parties other than the employer or co-employees and may include general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents, construction companies, etc. In cases where a worker dies from injuries suffered on the job, surviving family members may seek death benefits through workers’ compensation and/or file a wrongful death claim against a third party.
Contacting a Construction Accident Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a construction-related 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, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
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. For over 51 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. We also recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
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, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, 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: https://abc7ny.com/worker-falls-between-buildings-rescue-construction-building/13414481/