Protections for victims of scaffolding accidents

Scaffold-related construction accidents can result in serious injuries for construction accident victims. For that reason, victim of scaffolding accidents should be familiar with protections available to them in New York.

Protections for victims of scaffolding accidents

New York has a scaffold law included in its labor laws that is intended to protect workers from the extraordinary risks and dangers associated with working on and around scaffolds and other lift devices on construction sites. Absolute liability for injuries or death is imposed on contractors and construction site owners whose negligence causes harm from falls or falling objects. Contractors and construction site owners who fail to follow adequate safety regulations and provide adequate safety devices to protect workers, may be liable for the harm they cause.

Injured construction workers generally have different protections available to them. They may be able to make a workers’ compensation claim for damages suffered in a construction or scaffolding accident. If the injured worker has been injured by a third party, personal injury legal protections may also be available to help the victim recover compensation for their physical, financial and emotional injuries.

Common scaffolding accidents

Some of the most common types of construction accidents are scaffolding accidents. These can include constructions accidents associated with lifts, hoists or ladders. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has estimated that 65% of construction workers frequently work on scaffolds. Scaffolding accidents can include falls from scaffolding equipment, accidents associated with an employer’s failure to ensure use of protective equipment and objects falling on workers which can all result in severe injuries.

Because of the serious nature of scaffolding accidents, and the injuries they cause, injured workers and their families should be familiar with the different protections available to them. The process of recovering from a construction injury can be costly physically, financially and emotionally, which is why injured construction workers should be familiar with how to obtain the help they need.