Construction Accident Lawsuit Lawsuit Tracker

An ironworker employed by a steel erection subcontractor fell 30 feet when a temporary work platform failed during structural steel installation on a Manhattan high-rise project. The scaffold platform lacked adequate cross-bracing and was rated for a load far below actual use. New York Labor Law §240(1) absolute liability was established against the property developer and general contractor after plaintiff's expert demonstrated that the platform failed to provide proper protection against elevation-related falls. The property developer's attempt to shift blame to the ironworker's conduct was rejected — comparative negligence is not a defense under §240. The verdict included $4.2M for future medical care, $3.1M for lost earning capacity, and $2.45M for pain and suffering.

A crane operator's assistant suffered severe traumatic brain injury and right arm amputation when a tower crane's slewing ring failed during a high-rise construction lift, causing the boom to collapse and strike the platform where the assistant was working. Defendants included the tower crane manufacturer (strict product liability for the defective slewing ring bearing), the crane inspection company (negligent inspection failed to identify metal fatigue), and the general contractor (inadequate exclusion zone and failure to require workers to clear the crane's swing radius during critical lifts). Settlement reached after plaintiff's engineering expert established both manufacturing defect and inspection negligence. Workers' comp lien of $380,000 was negotiated to $145,000 in lien resolution, maximizing net recovery.

A 34-year-old laborer was killed when the walls of an 8-foot-deep utility trench collapsed without warning, burying him under approximately 4 tons of soil and clay. OSHA's post-accident investigation found that the excavating contractor had failed to install any protective system — no shoring, no sloping, no trench box — in direct violation of 29 CFR 1926.652. The general contractor was aware that workers were in the unprotected trench and failed to stop work. OSHA cited the excavation contractor for willful violations and imposed maximum penalties. The GC and excavation contractor each settled after the OSHA willful violation citations were admitted into evidence, establishing near-conclusive negligence. The settlement provided for the decedent's wife and three minor children.

An apprentice electrician was electrocuted and suffered permanent cardiac damage and neurological injury when he contacted an energized 480-volt bus bar that the electrical subcontractor had failed to de-energize and lockout before allowing workers into the panel area. The injured worker was employed by a different subcontractor performing adjacent work and was not warned that the panel was live. OSHA cited the electrical sub for failure to implement a written lockout/tagout program under 29 CFR 1926.417 and for failure to train affected workers. The victim's own employer (not a defendant) had workers' comp obligations; the third-party civil claim against the electrical sub was resolved at mediation after OSHA citations were presented.

A union carpenter fell 18 feet from an exterior scaffold when an outrigger support bracket failed, causing the scaffold platform to tilt and drop. The scaffold had been erected by a scaffold rental company using non-standard brackets that lacked the required load rating documentation. Labor Law §240 liability was established against both the general contractor and the property owner. The scaffold rental company was added as a defendant under products liability for supplying defective scaffold components without adequate load rating verification. Settlement was reached at mediation. The injured worker, a member of United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 608, was represented by union-recommended construction accident counsel.

A roofer was struck on the head by a 12-pound power drill dropped by a worker on an upper level of a multi-story residential construction project. The victim suffered a skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, and permanent partial vision loss in one eye. OSHA's inspection found that the general contractor had failed to install required toe boards and debris nets on elevated work platforms (violating 29 CFR 1926.502(j)), which would have prevented the tool from becoming a falling object. The general contractor settled after its safety manager testified at deposition that he had observed the absence of toe boards the day before the accident but had not issued a stop-work order. The settlement reflected strong OSHA violation evidence combined with the GC's pre-knowledge of the hazard.