Construction Accident Lawyer in Kings County
Injured on a construction site in Kings County? NY Labor Law §240 may hold the property owner strictly liable. Free case review — (888) 702-1581.
Brooklyn has become one of the most active construction markets in the United States, with billions invested in the Gowanus, Industry City, and Downtown Brooklyn rezoning projects. The Pacific Park development at the former Atlantic Yards site, the renovation of the Red Hook waterfront, and dozens of luxury residential towers across North Brooklyn have created a dense, fast-moving construction environment. OSHA violations in Brooklyn are among the highest in the state, with scaffold collapses, falls from elevation, and struck-by-object incidents representing the most common causes of serious injury on multi-employer sites.
NY Labor Law §240 and §241 — What Every Worker in Kings County Should Know
New York City construction runs 24/7, and the courts here handle more §240 cases than anywhere in the state. Property owners in NYC know the Scaffold Law well — and so do their lawyers.
New York Labor Law §240(1), known as the Scaffold Law, imposes strict liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker is injured due to a gravity-related hazard — a fall from scaffolding, a ladder collapse, a falling object. Strict liability means the owner's negligence does not need to be proved. If the safety device failed to provide proper protection, liability attaches.
§241(6) adds a parallel claim: any violation of the NY Industrial Code (12 NYCRR Part 23) that causes injury is also actionable. These two statutes together give injured construction workers in Kings County unusually strong legal footing compared to workers in any other state.
Workers' compensation is not your only option. §240 and §241(6) claims are separate civil lawsuits — you can pursue both simultaneously, and a third-party lawsuit typically produces substantially higher recoveries than comp alone.
Active Construction in Kings County — Where Accidents Happen
Kings County has seen significant construction activity in recent years, including Pacific Park mixed-use development, Atlantic Yards, Gowanus Rezoning residential and commercial buildout, Industry City adaptive reuse campus, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Navy Yard industrial expansion. These projects employ workers represented by Laborers Local 731, Carpenters Local 157, Iron Workers Local 40, Operating Engineers Local 14-14B, Cement Masons Local 780 and other locals operating in the region.
Active construction zones are where §240 injuries occur. When an employer or GC fails to erect proper scaffolding, provide fall harnesses, or secure materials against falling, and a worker is hurt, the legal machinery of Labor Law §240 and §241(6) is available to that worker regardless of what their employer tells them.
Many workers in Kings County are told after an injury that workers' comp is their only option, or that they were partly at fault. Under §240 strict liability, comparative negligence is not a defense. The employer's or property owner's claim that "you should have been more careful" is legally irrelevant if a safety device failed.
Filing Your Claim: Supreme Court, Kings County
Construction accident lawsuits in Kings County are generally filed in the Supreme Court, Kings County, located at 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn NY 11201. The court is part of New York's Appellate Division, 2nd Department — the appellate body that reviews trial court decisions in Kings County cases. Understanding the appellate division matters because different departments have developed slightly different interpretations of §240's scope over decades of case law.
Deadlines matter. Under CPLR §214, you have three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. However, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years, and claims against government entities may require a Notice of Claim filed within 90 days. Do not wait.
If you were treated after your accident at Kings County Hospital Center or another trauma center, your medical records will form a core part of your damages evidence. Preserving those records early, along with incident reports, OSHA logs, and witness contact information, protects your case.
Supreme Court, Kings County
360 Adams Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
Union Locals Active in Kings County
Union members may have additional resources through their trust funds, but union membership does not affect your right to pursue an independent Labor Law §240 or §241(6) claim.
Common Questions About Construction Accidents in Kings County
Injured on a Kings County Construction Site?
Call (888) 702-1581 for a free case review. We handle §240 and §241 claims throughout Kings County and all of New York state. No fee unless we win.