The New York City Fire Department rescued a worker who was injured in a construction accident from a hole at a worksite in Hudson Yards, Queens. According to an ABC news report, FDNY officials said the incident occurred at West 30th Street and 11th Avenue the morning of June 16. In spite of earlier reports stating that the worker fell into the hole, FDNY officials said the man was already working in the excavation site when he suffered a head injury after being clipped by a heavy piece of machinery.
Members of the FDNY pulled him to safety and he was rushed to the hospital with a head injury, officials said. The full extent of his injuries were not known. The investigation is ongoing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured worker. We wish him the very best for a quick and full recovery.
Struck-By Accidents in Construction Sites
Struck-by accidents are sadly common in construction sites. When a worker is struck by falling or moving objects, the consequences can be severe. Common dangers include falling tools, debris, heavy machinery or vehicles such as forklifts or dump trucks. These accidents often occur due to inadequate safety protocols, poor visibility and lack of protective barriers.
Injuries from being struck by construction equipment or materials range in severity. Minor incidents may result in bruises or lacerations, while more serious accidents can lead to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage or even fatalities. Workers on the ground are especially vulnerable when overhead work is taking place or when machinery is being operated in tight spaces.
Struck-by accidents in trenches or excavations, in particular, can be extremely dangerous. These incidents occur when workers are hit by falling tools, materials or collapsing trench walls. Heavy equipment, such as backhoes or excavators, can also strike workers if operated too close to the trench. Inadequate protective systems, such as missing trench boxes or shoring, increase the risk of collapse, which can lead to crushing injuries or fatalities.
Falling debris from the edge of the trench, especially when spoil piles are placed too close, is another common cause. Employers must follow OSHA safety standards, including sloping, shoring, or shielding trench walls deeper than five feet and keeping heavy equipment and materials away from the trench edge. Proper training, site planning and communication among workers and machine operators are critical to preventing struck-by incidents and ensuring trench safety. Regular inspections can help detect and correct hazards before accidents occur.
Preventing Struck-By Accidents
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists “struck-by” incidents as one of the “Fatal Four” leading causes of construction worker deaths. According to OSHA statistics, struck-by incidents caused about 150 deaths and 14,000 nonfatal injuries in the construction sector in the year 2020 alone. This totaled $1.4 billion in workers’ compensation direct costs for injury claims with more than five days away from work.
Many of these accidents are preventable with proper training, clear communication, use of personal protective equipment like hard hats and high-visibility clothing and strict adherence to safety procedures. Contractors, construction companies and property owners/managers, among other parties, are responsible for maintaining a safe work environment and can be held liable if their negligence (carelessness) results in injuries.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Workers injured in construction accidents can bring civil actions 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. In addition, workers and their families may be able to file a third-party lawsuit for substantial money damages against a number of parties, and thus have two sources of compensation.
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.
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. Our law firm 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.
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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jun/18/new-york-city-firefighters-rescue-injured-construction-worker-hole/