Fighting for Victims in
Times of Need
Times of Need
Putnam County Construction Accidents
Construction plays an important role throughout Putnam County. New homes, commercial buildings, road improvements, schools, and public infrastructure projects depend on the skilled trades that keep the region growing. From residential developments to large public works, construction workers perform physically demanding jobs that make everyday life possible for everyone else.
That work also exposes them to some of the most dangerous conditions found in any industry. Workers routinely perform tasks at significant heights, operate heavy machinery, and work around energized equipment. Even when proper safety procedures are in place, construction remains inherently hazardous. When those procedures are ignored or allowed to fall behind the work being performed, the consequences can be life-changing.
Many serious construction accidents are preventable. They occur because known hazards were not addressed or the worksite was not properly managed.
For more than 40 years, The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel has represented injured New Yorkers in serious personal injury matters, including construction accident cases throughout Putnam County and the Hudson Valley.
Common Types of Construction Accidents and Injuries
Although every accident is different, some of the most common construction accidents include:
- Falls from Heights: Falls from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, elevated platforms, or unfinished structures remain one of the leading causes of serious construction injuries. Depending on the height of the fall, workers may suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple fractures, or fatal injuries.
- Scaffold Accidents: Improperly erected scaffolds, defective components, missing guardrails, or unstable work platforms can cause workers to fall or be struck by collapsing materials. These accidents often result in broken bones, head injuries, and permanent disabilities.
- Ladder Accidents: A ladder that slips, shifts, collapses, or is used improperly can cause workers to fall while performing routine tasks. Serious fractures, shoulder injuries, neck injuries, and back injuries are common consequences.
- Struck-By Accidents: Workers may be struck by falling tools, construction materials, moving vehicles, cranes, forklifts, or other equipment operating on the jobsite. Depending on the force of impact, these accidents can cause crush injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, or fatal injuries.
- Caught-In or Caught-Between Accidents: Construction workers can become trapped between heavy equipment, building materials, machinery, or collapsing structures. These incidents frequently cause crushing injuries, amputations, severe orthopedic trauma, and other catastrophic injuries.
- Trench and Excavation Collapses: An unsupported trench can collapse without warning, burying workers beneath thousands of pounds of soil. These accidents often result in crushing injuries, suffocation, spinal injuries, and fatalities.
- Electrical Accidents: Contact with exposed wiring, energized equipment, or overhead power lines can cause severe burns, nerve damage, cardiac injuries, and electrocution. Even workers who survive electrical accidents may experience permanent physical and neurological impairments.
- Heavy Equipment Accidents: Bulldozers, excavators, cranes, loaders, and other construction equipment present significant risks when machinery malfunctions, visibility is limited, or operators and ground workers are not properly coordinated. These accidents frequently cause catastrophic injuries due to the size and weight of the equipment involved.
- Falling Objects: Construction materials, tools, debris, or equipment dropped from elevated work areas can seriously injure workers below, even when the object appears relatively small. Head injuries, facial fractures, neck injuries, and shoulder injuries are among the most common results.
- Defective Tools or Equipment: Power tools, machinery, safety devices, or protective equipment that are defectively designed, manufactured, or maintained can malfunction and cause serious injuries. Depending on the circumstances, these accidents may involve product liability claims in addition to workers’ compensation benefits.
Construction accidents often result in injuries that require extensive medical treatment and lengthy periods away from work. Some workers recover fully, while others are left with permanent disabilities that affect their ability to earn a living and enjoy everyday activities.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits After a Construction Accident
Most construction workers injured on the job in Putnam County are eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of who caused the accident. These benefits are intended to provide financial support while an injured employee recovers and is unable to work.
Depending on the circumstances, workers’ compensation may pay for necessary medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, rehabilitation services, and certain disability benefits. Because the system is designed to provide benefits without requiring an injured worker to prove fault, it is often the first source of financial assistance after a serious construction accident.
While obtaining workers’ compensation benefits is an important step, it is important to understand that those benefits are limited by law.
Why Workers’ Compensation May Not Fully Compensate You
Workers’ compensation was created to provide basic financial protection for injured workers, but it does not compensate every loss a person may experience after a serious construction accident.
For example, workers’ compensation does not provide compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, or the full amount of wages a worker may lose because of a permanent injury. In cases involving catastrophic injuries, those losses can go far beyond the benefits available through the workers’ compensation system.
When You May Have a Separate Personal Injury Claim
Although workers’ compensation generally prevents employees from suing their own employers, it does not prevent claims against other individuals or companies whose negligence contributed to a construction accident.
Depending on the circumstances, you may have a personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ compensation case if your injuries resulted from:
- A dangerous condition on the construction site.
- Unsafe scaffolding, ladders, or other elevated work areas.
- The negligence of a property owner, general contractor, or subcontractor.
- Defective machinery, tools, or safety equipment.
- Violations of New York’s construction safety laws, including the protections afforded by the Labor Law.
Unlike workers’ compensation, a successful personal injury claim may allow you to recover damages for pain and suffering, the full value of lost income, future medical expenses, diminished earning capacity, and other losses recognized under New York law.
Determining whether you have a third-party claim is not always straightforward. Construction projects often involve numerous contractors and complex contractual relationships. An experienced construction accident attorney can investigate how the accident occurred, identify every potentially responsible party, and explain whether pursuing a personal injury lawsuit in addition to workers’ compensation may be appropriate in your case.
Three Important Steps to Take After a Construction Site Accident
While every situation is different, our law firm emphasizes these three steps after a construction site accident:
1. Get Medical Treatment Without Delay
Even if your injuries do not seem severe immediately after the accident, it is important to be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible. Some injuries, including potentially fatal head injuries, may not produce their full symptoms until hours or days later.
Prompt medical care protects your health and creates medical records documenting when your injuries occurred, the treatment you received, and how the accident affected you. Continue attending follow-up appointments and follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations throughout your recovery.
2. Report the Accident and Preserve Information
Notify your employer or supervisor about the accident as soon as reasonably possible. Timely reporting is important for protecting your right to workers’ compensation benefits and helps establish when, where, and how the injury occurred.
If your condition allows, preserve information that may become important later. Photographs of the accident scene, equipment, safety devices, visible hazards, and your injuries can provide valuable evidence. If coworkers witnessed the accident, try to obtain their names and contact information while events are still fresh in everyone’s memory. Keep copies of accident reports, medical records, work restrictions, and any correspondence relating to your injury.
We recommend setting up a box or binder where you can store everything related to your injuries, treatment, and accident. Keep a journal where you note down your symptoms and the details of your doctor’s appointments so you can keep track of what happens and when.
3. Carefully Consider Your Legal Rights Before Making Any Decisions About Your Future
The choices you make now can affect your financial life well into the future, so don’t be quick to dismiss the idea of a legal claim and avoid speaking with insurers or signing any documents before you consult with a lawyer.
Consulting with an experienced construction accident attorney early in the process can help you understand all of your legal options before you make any decisions that could impact your potential claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Putnam County Construction Accident Claims
I don’t remember exactly how the accident happened. Can I still have a case?
Yes. Serious injuries often happen so quickly that workers are unable to recall every detail, particularly if they suffered a head injury or lost consciousness. A legal investigation does not rely solely on memory. Project records, witness accounts, photographs, and other evidence may help establish what occurred even when the injured worker cannot recall every moment.
What if I had only been working on the project for a few days?
The amount of time you had been on the job does not determine whether you have legal rights. Whether a claim exists depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident, the work being performed, and the responsibilities of the parties involved—not on how long you had worked at the site.
Does it matter whether the project was public or private?
It can. Different projects may involve different owners, contractors, contractual relationships, and legal procedures. Those differences may affect how a claim is investigated and, in some situations, the deadlines or requirements that apply.
What if I was hired through a staffing agency?
Temporary workers are entitled to the same expectation of reasonably safe working conditions as anyone else on a construction site. Being placed through a staffing agency does not automatically determine who may be legally responsible if unsafe conditions contributed to an injury.
Should I keep the equipment or clothing I was wearing?
If it can be done safely, preserving damaged equipment, safety gear, footwear, or clothing may be helpful. Those items can sometimes provide important information about how an accident occurred or the forces involved during the incident.
I was injured near the end of the workday. Does that make any difference?
Not by itself. Construction accidents can happen at any point during a shift. The time of day is only one part of the factual picture and does not determine whether someone may have been legally responsible for creating or allowing an unsafe condition.
What if OSHA investigated the accident?
An OSHA investigation may provide useful information, but it does not automatically determine whether a civil personal injury claim exists. A legal claim often examines different issues and may require additional investigation beyond the findings of a regulatory agency.
Why Putnam County Construction Workers Turn to The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel
For more than four decades, Mark A. Siesel has represented injured New Yorkers in complex personal injury cases, including workplace and construction site injury claims. Every client receives direct attention from an experienced attorney who approaches each case with the understanding that careful investigation produces the strongest legal claims.
If you were injured on a construction site in Putnam County, contact our law firm for a free consultation.