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Building Collapse Accidents
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Have you been seriously injured in a building collapse in New York, NY? Building collapses often lead to life-changing and fatal injuries. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering from the at-fault party.
The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers have represented injured construction workers in New York for more than 25 years. Contact our law office to schedule your free consultation with a New York City building collapse lawyer prepared to fight for you. Call (212) 564-2800 today.
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If you were injured in a building collapse, you should not have to wade through paperwork or argue with insurance companies about your compensation. You need to focus on your recovery. An experienced New York City personal injury lawyer will take over this burden and much more to pursue the fair compensation you are entitled to.
Building collapses often require lengthy and in-depth investigations; multiple parties may share blame. Without legal representation, it can be incredibly challenging to hold the responsible parties accountable.
The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to giving your injury case the attention and resources it deserves. Founding attorney Jay S. Knispel is a Top 100 Trial Lawyer and holds the Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent rating. He has recovered some of New York’s largest settlements and awards for his clients. Let him put his decades of experience to work for you.
Our law office in New York City, New York, is prepared to:
Call our law firm today for a free consultation with an NYC construction accident lawyer for the representation you deserve.
Building collapse accidents aren’t common, but they are almost always catastrophic.
In 2020, a vacant building in Midtown Manhattan partially collapsed into a construction site. Fortunately, there were no injuries. But just two blocks away on the same day, one worker was killed and three injured in a scaffolding collapse.
In 2014, a gas leak sparked an explosion that caused two NYC buildings to collapse. It triggered a seven-alarm fire in the East Village of Manhattan and affected four buildings. This East Harlem gas explosion killed eight people, injured 70, and displaced about 100 families. It was one of the worst building collapse accidents in recent history.
Buildings may collapse due to structural failure while they are occupied during renovations or during construction. Collapse accidents can also happen during failed demolition. In 2019, a four-story residential building under construction in the Bronx collapsed as the third floor caved in. One construction worker was killed and five were injured.
Construction sites are inherently dangerous, and building collapse is just one risk workers face. According to OSHA, about 20% of workplace deaths occur on construction sites. In one recent year, there were 781 construction workers killed on the job. Thirty-two of these deaths were the result of being crushed or stuck in a collapsing structure or equipment.
All injury claims are unique. The value of your case depends largely on whether you are limited to workers’ compensation or if you can sue a negligent third party.
Workers’ compensation benefits for lost wages and disability are capped under New York law. Your benefits will be based on your percentage of disability and average weekly wages up to a limit. A third-party claim allows you to seek additional damages that increase the value of your case.
The best way to estimate how much your case may be worth is by scheduling a free consultation. The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers will help you explore your legal options and what you may be entitled to recover.
If you were injured on the job in a building collapse, you can recover workers’ compensation benefits.
This no-fault system offers the following benefits:
However, you cannot recover non-economic damages like pain and suffering through workers’ compensation. Wage replacement and disability benefits are also capped. You are also barred from suing your employer in most cases.
If someone else caused your accident, you can seek additional damages through a third-party personal injury lawsuit for:
At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers, we are committed to pursuing all avenues of compensation available.
A building collapse often results in serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries. The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers is committed to fighting for the full compensation you deserve to move forward with your life.
We represent clients who have suffered injuries such as:
Don’t let an insurance company minimize the severity of your injuries or how they will affect your future. Call a New York City construction accident attorney today for a free consultation to discuss how we can help.
Many factors may cause a building to collapse, and these accidents are often attributed to multiple failures. In most cases, negligence is to blame.
Common reasons a New York City building may collapse include:
There are strict construction and building codes in New York City designed to protect construction workers, building occupants, and passers-by. When a building collapses and injures others, the negligent party should be held accountable.
When a building collapses, multiple parties may be found liable. The construction or demolition of a building typically involves a number of companies and subcontractors who are each responsible for meeting city, state, and federal guidelines.
When someone violates New York building code or labor laws and causes a catastrophic building collapse, they can be held liable for the damages.
Parties who may share financial liability for a building collapse include:
If you were injured on the job in a structural collapse, you can recover compensation through workers’ comp without proving negligence. However, pursuing a third-party claim entitles you to seek additional damages not available through workers’ compensation.
A third-party lawsuit against any of the above parties will require proving negligence. Experienced building collapse attorneys in New York City will carefully build your case using everything from government investigation results to expert testimony and witness statements.
To recover workers’ compensation benefits, you are required to notify your employer of your injuries within 30 days. You then have two years to file a workers’ compensation claim. For a third-party personal injury claim, you are subject to a three-year statute of limitations under New York law.
Contact experienced NYC personal injury lawyers as soon as possible after your accident to preserve evidence and begin pursuing the compensation you need.
Have you suffered serious injuries in a building collapse? You should be focused on your recovery, not a battle with a profit-driven insurance company.
Call the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a New York City building collapse lawyer. We will pursue all avenues of compensation to recover the money you need for your losses.
New York City Office
450 7th Ave Suite 1605
New York, NY 10123
(212) 564 2800
Brooklyn Office
26 Court St., Suite 2511
Brooklyn, NY 11242
(718) 802-1600
We are available to take your call 24/7