Construction Accident Lawyer in New York County
Injured on a construction site in New York County? NY Labor Law §240 may hold the property owner strictly liable. Free case review — (888) 702-1581.
Manhattan is the most active construction market in the United States by value, with tens of billions of dollars in annual construction activity concentrated in Midtown, Hudson Yards, the Financial District, and emerging neighborhoods like the East Side Access zone and Penn Station area. The Penn Station/Moynihan Train Hall redevelopment, the ongoing Hudson Yards Phase II, and dozens of supertall residential towers keep thousands of construction workers employed on technically demanding, high-elevation work. New York State Labor Law Sections 240 and 241 — the "scaffold laws" — provide some of the nation's strongest protections for injured construction workers, and Manhattan courts interpret these laws with extensive precedent.
NY Labor Law §240 and §241 — What Every Worker in New York 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 New York 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 New York County — Where Accidents Happen
New York County has seen significant construction activity in recent years, including Hudson Yards Phase II development, Penn Station area and Moynihan Train Hall redevelopment, East Side Access/Grand Central Madison expansion, One Vanderbilt and Midtown East rezoning projects. 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, Boilermakers Local 5 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 New York 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, New York County
Construction accident lawsuits in New York County are generally filed in the Supreme Court, New York County, located at 60 Centre Street, New York NY 10007. The court is part of New York's Appellate Division, 1st Department — the appellate body that reviews trial court decisions in New York 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 Bellevue 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, New York County
60 Centre Street, New York NY 10007
Union Locals Active in New York 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 New York County
Injured on a New York County Construction Site?
Call (888) 702-1581 for a free case review. We handle §240 and §241 claims throughout New York County and all of New York state. No fee unless we win.