Victim Files $50 Million Lawsuit After Suffering Spinal Cord and Head Injuries in Soho Scaffolding Collapse

 A woman who was injured in a scaffolding collapse in Soho Nov. 19 is suing contractors connected with the project for $50 million. According to a report on Patch.com, the 33-year-old woman says she suffered multiple injuries in the accident that occurred after heavy gusts of wind caused scaffolding and other debris to collapse near the intersection of Broadway and Prince Street.

Severe Injuries Sustained
The woman, a former model says she was walking near the intersection when a gust of wind knocked down a sidewalk shed and other connected scaffolding. The debris struck her and she became trapped under the debris. She sustained multiple injuries including spinal fractures, head trauma and cuts in addition to leg injuries. She also says in the lawsuit that she needed extended hospital stays and surgery.
City building inspectors had issued a “stop work” order after the partial collapse of the scaffolding and investigators found that the structure did not meet city building code standards. The lawsuit named the owner of the building, the scaffolding provider and the company that was handling renovations to the building’s facade.
Construction Site Dangers
New Yorkers are no strangers when it comes to scaffolding and sidewalk sheds. We walk past a number of construction sites every day without giving much thought to how they might affect us. According to the New York City Department of Buildings, between 2010 and 2014, 59 people have been struck by falling debris from city construction sites. And these numbers seem to be climbing. About 27 percent of those pedestrians were victimized between January and September of 2014.
There was one fatality in 2015 when a 37-year-old woman was hit and fatally injured by a piece of flying plywood from a condo construction site on West 12th Street. Among the 16 people injured in the first nine months of 2014, two were hit by falling glass. One driver was injured when four cars were struck by a plank that dropped from the roof of a building. Also, two pedestrians were hurt when they were splashed with concrete down Broadway in Tribeca.
Who is Responsible?
Statistics show that in New York City, a passerby is injured at least once a month as a result of falling debris. People are hit by anything from collapsing scaffolds to construction tools and equipment that have the potential to cause catastrophic injury. These types of accidents have become more common as construction and renovation projects increase in the city.
The city has passed legislation in an attempt to curb such accidents. In 2014, the city revised its building code by requiring that construction fences be built to withstand 80 mph winds. The city also sends safety inspectors to routinely check large construction sites and keeps track of contractors who have been identified as “high-risk” for safety violations and construction accidents. Further, the city requires that safety managers be present for all major construction projects. However, the problem is that these safety managers are hired by the contractors creating a conflict of interest. A safety manager’s allegiance may likely be with the contractor from whom he or she receives the paycheck. The fact remains that even with these requirements and the revisions to the city codes and inspections, passersby still face the risk of injuries from falling debris.
Bystanders who are hit by falling debris may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against several parties including building owners, contractors, sub-contractors, managing agents, etc. These types of accidents have the potential to cause life-changing injuries such as head trauma, spinal cord damage, multiple broken bones and internal organ damage.
Some of these injuries may result in permanent disabilities causing the individual to lose the ability to earn a livelihood. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and wages, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer will be able to help you compile the evidence that is needed to bolster your claim and secure the maximum possible compensation for your injuries, damages and losses.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction site 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.
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 York, 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://patch.com/new-york/soho-little-italy/woman-injured-soho-scaffolding-collapse-sues-50-million