Protecting People from Unsafe Working Conditions in New York
Construction workers built New York, and the city couldn’t survive without them. If you’re one of those people who brings a toolbelt to work every day, you deserve to take a lot of pride in what you do. But we can never forget that construction work is extremely hard and it’s also dangerous.
Falls, equipment malfunctions, forklift accidents, and repetitive stress injuries are just a few of the hazards that construction workers face every day. One common type of construction injury that people don’t always think about is burns.
Workplace burn incidents cause thousands of devastating injuries every year. If you were seriously burned in a New York workplace accident, contact the trial lawyers at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP by calling (212) 986-7353 today. Our clients have recovered over one billion dollars in settlements.
What Causes Burn Injuries in the Workplace?
Employers are constantly cutting corners to make an extra dollar, and they’ll often ignore state laws and FEMA rules designed to protect workers. When this happens, people get hurt.
In the construction industry, workers can suffer from thermal, chemical, electrical, and radiation burns caused by laxed controls and preventable mishaps. Hazards that are likely to result in construction site burns include:
- Gas line explosions
- Chemical spills
- Hot surfaces
- Electrical fires
- Open flames
- Scalding liquids
- Temporary heater explosions
- Welding and soldering accidents
- Electrical shock and electrocution
- Sparks from grinding tools that cause fires
- Exposure to acids, paint thinner, cleaning solvents, and lye
- Lithium battery explosions
Of course, construction workers aren’t the only people who are at risk for severe burns at their places of employment. Additional industries where people are often subject to workplace burns include:
- Janitorial work
- Factory workers
- Food services workers
- Healthcare workers
- Firefighters
- Mechanics
- Factory workers
Harm Caused by Burn Injuries
No matter what type of burn injury you suffer, it’s going to damage your skin. Burns are classified by their severity and how deeply they penetrate the skin:
- First-degree burns affect the outer layer of skin known as the epidermis, leaving it red and painful.
- Second-degree burns penetrate a lower level of skin called the dermis, creating painful blisters and swelling.
- Third-degree burns penetrate the deepest level of skin, the subcutaneous tissue. Skin may appear white, blackened, or charred.
- Fourth-degree burns penetrate the tissue beyond your skin, damaging bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and organs. These are life-threatening injuries that cause severe infections and other health problems.
Long-term complications from burn injuries may include:
- Bacterial infection
- Fluid loss
- Organ damage
- Loss of limb
- Breathing problems
- Scarring and dismemberment
- Bone and joint problems
What to Do After a Workplace Burn Injury
If you were seriously harmed by a workplace burn injury, call 911 right away. Make sure to keep records of all your medical treatments. Follow your doctor’s recommendations and attend your medical appointments. Physicians in New York are legally required to report serious burn wounds within 72 hours.
When any type of work injury occurs, make sure your supervisor is notified as soon as possible. You’ll also want to contact a personal injury lawyer and file a worker’s compensation claim right away.
Who’s Liable for Workplace Burn Accident Injuries?
Your New York construction accident injury attorney will investigate the accident. Then they’ll file claims against anyone whose careless behavior contributed to your injuries. This may include:
- Property owners
- General contractors or subcontractors
- Vendors who supplied faulty materials
- Manufacturers of defective equipment
- Engineers, architects, or designers responsible for unsafe conditions
Compensation Available for New York Workplace Injuries
Burn injuries cause serious physical and emotional harm. Victims may be unable to work for an extended period of time. You might never be able to go back to doing construction work. The following types of damages may be recovered in a workplace burn injury settlement:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reconstructive surgery
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death
Were You Burned at Work?
You shouldn’t have to pay for your own medical treatment when your injuries were caused by someone else’s careless behavior. At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, we’ve recovered millions of dollars in settlements for construction workers who were injured on the job.
You won’t owe us anything unless we win your case. Call (212) 986-7353 to schedule your FREE consultation today.
Our Construction Accident Case Results
$18 Million - Verdict for Construction Worker Who Fell from a Defective Scaffold
The laborer fell three stories from a defective scaffold and suffered comminuted fractures of his left calcaneus, osteomyelitis in the left heel and a painful neuroma in his foot.
Philip Russotti
$11.76 Million - Labor Law Construction Accident with Single-Level Lumbar Fusion
Frank Lombardo obtained $11.76 million in Queens County for a seriously injured Union Local No. 1 journeyman plumber.
Frank Lombardo
$11.1 Million - NY Construction Worker Fell from Ladder
Phil Russotti obtained an $11.1 million verdict in Queens County Supreme Court, for a 53 year old man who was injured on a construction site at a New York City High School.
Philip Russotti
$8.2 Million - New York Construction Worker Paralyzed in Fall
Plaintiff, a 40 year-old, undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was working off the books for a roofing contractor when he fell through a hole in the first floor of a one family home he was working in.
Kenneth Halperin, Philip Russotti
$7.25 Million - Defective Scaffolding Injury in New York
Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP attorneys Phil Russotti and Ken Halperin settled the case of a union-affiliated painter in his 40s, who was injured while working at a chemical storage facility.
Kenneth Halperin, Philip Russotti
$6.5 Million - Serious Fall by Undocumented Laborer
Konstantin Burshteyn successfully represented a client, an undocumented laborer from El Salvador, who was seriously injured in a fall while working as a roofer.
Konstantin Burshteyn
$6.5 Million - Carpenter Injured from Fall at Jobsite
David M. Hoffman obtained a settlement of $6,500,000 for a client who was injured in a fall on a jobsite resulting in suffered serious and permanent trauma to his head.
David Hoffman
$6.4 Million - Injured Union Concrete Workers
WRSMH attorneys obtained a total of $6,400,000 for multiple cases involving injured union concrete workers who were hurt on a construction site.
Noah Katz, Michael Zisser
$5.9 Million - Construction Worker Struck by a Falling Object
Carmine Goncalves obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a union construction worker, who sustained injuries after being struck by a falling object.
Carmine Goncalves
$5.75 Million - Day Laborer Injured at Construction Site
50-year-old day laborer injured at his job site, an apartment building in the Bronx.
Bryce Moses
$5.75 Million - Falling Beam Injuries on Construction Site
The firm successfully represented a construction worker who sustained injuries which required multiple surgeries after he was struck by a falling beam while working on a construction site.
William Hepner
$5.4 Million - Faulty Chain Harness Drops Worker from Building
WRSMH attorneys represented a client, a concrete worker, who suffered serious injuries in a fall while performing his job.
Carmine Goncalves, Erin Hurley
$5.3 Million - Non-Union Construction Worker Injured by Table Saw
The firm successfully represented a non-union construction worker who was seriously injured while operating a table saw which lacked a safety guard.
Noah Katz
$5 Million - Staten Island Construction Worker Killed When Trench Walls Collapse
Clifford Shapiro and Kenneth Halperin worked together to obtain a $5,000,000.00 settlement for the family of a construction worker who was killed while working in a trench at a construction site on Staten Island.
Clifford Shapiro, Kenneth Halperin
$5 Million - Worker Injured in Trench Fall at Construction Site
David M. Hoffman obtained a settlement of $5,000,000 for a client who sustained multiple injuries after falling into an unprotected trench at a construction site.
David Hoffman
$4.5 Million - Worker Injured in Slip and Fall on Construction Site
Carmine Goncalves and Bryce Moses obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a construction worker, who sustained multiple injuries in a workplace fall.
Carmine Goncalves, Bryce Moses
$4.5 Million - Union Bridge Painter Injured in Fall
Frank J. Lombardo and Carmine Goncalves obtained a large settlement on behalf of our client, a union bridge painter, who sustained multiple injuries in a workplace accident.
Frank Lombardo, Carmine Goncalves
$4.5 Million - Non-Union Laborer Injured in Construction Site Fall
Attorneys obtained a pre-trial settlement in the amount of $4.5 million for a non-union laborer who fell through an opening on the first floor into a cellar below a Manhattan high-rise building under construction.
Noah Katz, Kenneth Halperin
$4.5 Million - Union Carpenter Struck By Falling Object
Frank Lombardo and Ross Barbour successfully represented a 58-year-old union carpenter who was injured when he was struck by a falling object.
Frank Lombardo, Ross Barbour
$4.27 Million - Paralyzed Construction Worker
Bryce Moses conveyed to the jury that the landowners were responsible for the accident and was able to obtain $4.27 million dollar recovery despite the fact there was only 4 Million Dollars in insurance coverage.
Bryce Moses