What Steps Do I Take After A Construction Accident?

Being involved in a construction accident can throw your life into a tailspin. You may be unable to work and unsure if or when you will be able to return to your job. Bills pile up, and you may feel unable to care for your family. Meanwhile, you may have been thrust into a complex world of workers’ compensation, potential litigation and other unfamiliar issues. What should you do?

At Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C., our lawyers understand how construction accidents can be overwhelming. We work to make sure our clients understand how to protect their rights after a construction accident. From our offices in Manhattan, we serve clients throughout the region.

Four Steps To Take After A Construction Accident

By taking these steps after a construction accident in New York City, you can avoid jeopardizing potential legal claims for money damages to cover your losses and help you recover.

1. Report the accident to your supervisors immediately. You should do this even if the accident does not seem serious at the time. You may not know how severe your injury is right away. If you delay reporting the accident, it may be too late to file a report if your injuries do not heal properly. Even if you can report the accident later, your report may not be as credible.

2. Preserve evidence. When possible, take or ask co-workers to take photographs of the accident site while it is fresh. Owners, general contractors and subcontractors often repair safety problems after an accident. This is good for work site safety, but it can leave injured workers without evidence of the cause of the accident. Taking photos of a hole before it is covered or machinery before it is repaired can protect your legal rights.

3. Seek prompt medical treatment. Prompt medical care can help prevent injuries from worsening and provide documentation of their extent.

4. Consult an attorney. Working with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible after an accident can benefit your case. The initial days and weeks after an accident often provide the best opportunity to gather evidence and establish a case. Insurance companies and parties that could be held liable for an accident do not wait — they often send attorneys to supervise initial investigations of accidents. You should not wait, either.

Have You Been Injured In A Construction Accident?

To learn more about how Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C., can help you, contact us for a free initial consultation. Call 800-574-4LAW or contact us online.

Case Results

Since 1965, we’ve recovered over $1 BILLION
on behalf of our clients. read more

$2.1 million
settlement

for 33-year old electrician who fell from ladder while attempting to fit heavy cable into crown box when cable sprung back and struck him, causing him to suffer left shoulder injury with impingement.

$1.6 million
settlement

for 38-year old electrician who slipped and fell on debris on stairway with resulting cervical herniated disc and aggravation of pre-existing arthritic changes.

$2.55 million
settlement

for 42-year old electrician who fell into an uncovered, unprotected hole and suffered a severe low back injury with herniated disc(s) that required surgery at L4-5 and L5-S1 levels.

$1.75 million
settlement

for 26-year old construction worker who fell through opening in roof and fractured his wrist, requiring surgery with open reduction and internal fixation, external fixation device, and eventual fusion.

$2.5 million
settlement

for 38-year old female electrician (with history of prior neck injury) who tripped on uneven Masonite protective floor covering, and suffered neck injury with herniated discs requiring cervical fusion.

$1.2 million
settlement

during trial for 40-year old sheet metal worker who was struck in the neck and shoulder by an air conditioning unit and suffered herniated cervical discs and cervical radiculopathy.