Workers’ Compensation For On-The-Job Fall Injuries

Work comp benefits are available to people injured in workplace falls.

Falling on the job is an all-too-common cause of workplace injuries. There are countless opportunities to fall in many workplaces, and everything from wet floors to ladders, and cluttered walkways to faulty scaffolds, can be the cause. A slip and fall can result in serious injuries; falling from a height can mean even more severe harm. If you have been hurt in a workplace fall, you may be able to collect workers’ compensation benefits to cover your medical expenses and the wages you lose while you recover.

Construction Site Falls – Scaffold Law Claims

When falls happen on construction sites, injuries can be more severe, and the legal situation more complicated. Construction laborers, material men and service providers are obviously eligible for work comp benefits when they are hurt on the job, but if the injury was due to a faulty or dangerous scaffold, there might also be legal claims against third parties under New York’s “scaffold law.” This law, codified in New York Labor Law Section 240, provides broad instructions for the parameters of safe scaffold erection; when those guidelines aren’t followed and injuries result, then landowners, property managers, equipment manufacturers or designers, and other construction companies could be held liable.

There could also be administrative or civil issues resulting from scaffold-related injuries, particularly if the injured employee wasn’t wearing proper safety gear (like a harness and tether or hardhat), or hadn’t been properly trained on safe scaffold use.

Ladder Falls And Other Falls From A Height

Falling from a height (off a ladder, into a trench, down an elevator shaft, etc.) – whether on a construction site or elsewhere – can result in very serious or even fatal injuries. Some of these accidents could be prevented by maintaining a safe workplace. For example, clearly marking the boundaries of open trenches and taping or gating off open elevator shafts can workers notice of hazards. In addition, training employees on safe ladder usage can go a long way towards keeping workers free from harm. This includes maintaining “three-point” contact with the ladder at all times (both feet and at least one hand while standing stationary on the ladder, and climbing while holding on with both hands), using safety tethers on high ladders, placing all ladders on level ground and making sure that ladders are adequately supported by whatever structure they are leaning against.

If you were injured in a ladder fall, slip and fall or scaffold fall, then workers’ compensation benefits will provide the much-needed financial security you need while you recover. There could also be third-party claims related to your injuries. For more information about filing for work comp benefits, appealing a denied claim or pursuing a claim against a third party, contact the law offices of Silverman, Silverman & Seligman, P.C. Our firm has decades of experience helping injured people get the compensation they need and deserve. Call our office today at 518-631-4521 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your work-related injuries.