New York City Construction Accident Lawyer Keetick L. Sanchez Discusses the Most Common Causes of Construction Injuries in New York City

Queens, NY -- When it comes to on-the-job injuries, the construction industry in New York is one of the most dangerous industries in our city. And these don’t only affect the people who work on construction sites themselves but also pedestrians, vendors, and others who find themselves in a construction area. Keetick L. Sanchez, an experienced New York construction accident lawyer, says that both injuries and fatalities are common in the industry due to the inherently unstable environment of a construction site. In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA), about 20 percent of worker fatalities in 2019 were in the construction industry.

“Construction workers bear a great amount of risk here in New York City. OSHA puts out lists of the most common causes of accidents in the industry each year,” Ms. Sanchez said. “Each year, it is basically the same list with a small change in the actual numbers. But, by its very nature and the landscape and machinery that a construction site requires, construction workers are at far greater risk than any other workers in our nation. One of the biggest causes of accidents in the construction industry is falls, both falling from heights, such as of high areas and scaffolding, or falls that are caused by dangerous conditions and debris on the ground such as tools, building supplies, and cables. Falling items and debris that hit those on the ground are also a serious problem on our construction sites.”

Other common causes of construction injuries and fatalities include electrocutions, explosions, burns, machinery accidents, workers getting trapped in between areas or materials, collapses, vehicle crashes on-site, and heat and overexertion.

“OSHA has identified what they call the ‘fatal four’ of construction site hazards that cause most fatalities in the industry. These are falls, strikes by an object, electrocutions, and ‘caught in between’ accidents, where a worker is caught in between equipment or objects, or crushed in collapses,” Ms. Sanchez continued. “These four types of accidents result in almost 60 percent of deaths to construction workers each year. While fatalities are, by far, the most devastating of accidents on a construction site, workers who have been impacted by these dangers will often come away with injuries that can affect them for the rest of their lives. These include burns, eye injuries, amputations, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, hearing loss, and even PTSD. They happen quickly, and sometimes there are no witnesses. Although these workers should be covered by workers’ comp, some employers don’t have the required coverage or the injured party was a vendor or pedestrian. There are instances when the insurance company questions how the accident happened in an attempt not to pay a claim. Injuries and fatalities to construction workers don’t just impact the workers themselves but their entire family. This is why we represent construction workers and their families so zealously.”

Unfortunately, the numbers for construction accidents are even worse than the national average, which is why New York has passed specific regulations allowing injured workers to hold negligent parties accountable. Keetick L. Sanchez and her team of experienced New York construction accident lawyers diligently represent construction workers in order to ensure that they are properly compensated for their injuries or families for the death of their loved one. To learn more about her, visit her website at https://accidentlawyer-queens.com/what-are-the-most-common-causes-of-injuries-on-a-construction-site-in-new-york/