Ladders can seem fairly harmless, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Annually, falls from ladders kill around 100 people and injure thousands more. Most ladder-related deaths happen while using ladders of 10 feet or less. Workplace accidents involving ladders are common, too. In 2020, 161 people lost their lives at work by falling from ladders.
If you’ve been injured in a ladder accident, a ladder fall lawyer can help. Here’s what you need to know from a construction injury lawyer in the Bronx.
No matter how safe you are when using a ladder, it only takes one misstep or broken rung to send you plummeting to the hard ground below. If you were wise enough to wear a hard hat, you might be able to protect yourself from a brain injury, but the rest of your body might not be so lucky.
Broken bones and spinal fractures are common outcomes of ladder accidents. You may need to take off work for months to heal, and if you hurt your spine, you might be unable to walk for years or ever again. Personal injury lawyers can help you seek damages for injuries such as these.
New York has very strict ladder safety regulations employers must abide by. While most employers follow these regulations, some simply ignore them to save time and money. This often has predictably poor outcomes for workers who must use ladders.
Some of these regulations cover:
If you’ve fallen off a ladder at work, you may be able to claim workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits pay for medical treatment, lost wages, and even the cost of retraining if you can’t work the same job anymore, so they can be a lifesaver if you qualify.
Better yet, you can claim benefits regardless of whose fault the accident was. This differs greatly from regular insurance, for which you must prove negligence for the insurer to pay you a settlement.
Workers’ comp in New York will pay for:
If you fell from a ladder at a construction site because your employer gave you shoddy, worn-down equipment, your first instinct might be to pick up the phone, call a ladder fall lawyer, and sue them for their negligence. But if your employer offers workers’ comp to you, the law intends those benefits to be your primary remedy for any work-related accident.
This means you cannot sue your employer if they make benefits available to you. However, if a third party contributed to the accident somehow, it is possible to hold them liable.
For instance, perhaps a homeowner or general contractor at a job site lent you a ladder they should’ve retired years ago. Or maybe a ladder manufacturer knew about a product defect but refused to issue a recall. If not for this party’s negligence, you wouldn’t have fallen from the ladder and hurt yourself.
You may have a case against the third party if something like this happened to you.
Construction workers’ rights include the right to personal protection and a workplace that’s safe and free of hazards. All too often, though, employers ignore those rights to their workers’ detriment. Some, for instance, may tell you to work on an old, wobbly ladder simply because they don’t feel like paying for a new one.
Even though you can’t sue your employer if they offer workers’ comp, a ladder accident lawyer may still be able to help.
Ladders are widely used on construction sites. Anyone working while on a ladder must ensure that the ladder is in good working order and is properly secured. If not, one could fall and sustain severe injuries including head injuries, back or neck injuries, broken bones or other life altering injuries.
Ladder fall injuries can result in extensive medical treatment, especially if the ladder fall occurred from a great height. It can be challenging for the victim and the victim’s family to pay for medical bills and other expenses. Our attorneys at the Dervishi Law Group, P.C. have experience in working with construction accident victims, including those who have fallen from ladders. Our ladder fall injury lawyers have the knowledge and experience and will do everything necessary to claim compensation.
Ladder falls can happen due to the following reasons:
Our ladder fall injury lawyers are able to handle workers’ compensation claims in an effective manner.
Our lawyers will investigate to see if the manufacturer of the equipment or any other third party may be held liable and if proper on the job safety regulations were followed.
Common causes of ladder accidents include placing ladders incorrectly, using a ladder improperly, and using a damaged or worn ladder. Choosing the wrong kind of ladder for the task may also result in accidents. For instance, extension ladders can collapse if you use them for the wrong purpose. Another common cause of accidents is using a ladder not rated for a certain weight.
To avoid accidents on a ladder, make sure you follow the “three points of contact” rule. That means keeping one foot and two hands or one hand and two feet touching the ladder at all times.
Avoid stepping on the top four rungs of extension ladders or the top two rungs of stepladders. Doing so may cause you to fall.
All types of ladders can be dangerous if used the wrong way. That said, step and trestle ladders account for the majority of ladder injuries. Many people have accidents while using extension ladders as well.
There’s no hard and fast rule for an age at which you should stop using a ladder. Whether or not you should discontinue ladder use depends on your strength, mobility, balance, and judgment. If you have a condition that makes it hard to stay balanced or climb up and down without pain, it may be better to avoid using a ladder.
If your employer told you to use a ladder despite your poor health, contact a ladder fall lawyer for advice.
Address 1:
2322 Arthur Ave., Suite 3A
Bronx, New York 10458
Address 2:
18 East 41st. Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY. 10017
Office: (718) 484-4757
Cell: (917) 496-8342
Fax: (718) 484-4758
If you have been involved in a construction accident, including a ladder fall, contact the Dervishi Law Group, P.C. to see if you can claim compensation. Our Ladder Fall Injury Lawyers are ready to help you. Call us at (718) 484-4757 / (917) 496-8342 or email at fdervishi@dervishilaw.com. Our service locations include New York City, Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester and the entire Tri-State area.
