Were you injured in a construction accident in Manhattan, NY?
At The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP, we help injured workers across Manhattan pursue full recovery after a serious construction accident.
If a scaffold gave way, a load fell from above, or a machine caught you on a job site, the medical bills and lost income can mount before you have any answers. A Manhattan, NY construction accident lawyer at our firm can pursue the parties responsible while you concentrate on healing. The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP has represented injured workers across New York City since 1937, through three generations of trial attorneys. Reach out for a free consultation to learn where your claim stands.
Construction Accident Lawyer Manhattan, NY
A construction accident case is a claim brought by a worker or a bystander who was hurt by a hazard on a building site, from a fall off a scaffold to contact with unguarded machinery. Most of these claims proceed against parties other than the injured worker’s direct employer. That can include a property owner, a general contractor, or an equipment supplier whose negligence played a part in the harm.
In 2025, the New York City Department of Buildings recorded a 33% drop in reported building construction-related injuries at sites under its jurisdiction. Even with that decline, falls from height remain the leading cause of death in construction. A construction accident attorney in Manhattan looks closely at how the injury happened, then identifies every party that may owe compensation. That work often uncovers negligence that was not obvious at the scene, and it can bring in defendants the injured worker never dealt with directly.
Types of Construction Accident Cases We Handle in Manhattan
Construction sites in Manhattan bring together heavy equipment, tight footprints, and crews from many trades, and that mix produces a wide range of serious injuries. Our attorneys handle the full span of construction accident claims across the borough. The cause of an injury shapes who can be held responsible, so we start there.
- Falls from heights. Scaffolds, ladders, and elevated platforms account for many of the gravest job-site injuries. When a scaffolding accident leaves a worker with fractures or paralysis, we trace the failure back to the party that controlled the safety equipment. Fall cases often hinge on what protection was in place and what was missing.
- Falling objects. Tools, materials, and debris dropped from upper floors strike workers below. Harm from falling debris ranges from concussions to fatal head trauma. Responsibility usually rests with whoever failed to secure the load or barricade the area.
- Machinery and equipment accidents. Forklifts, cranes, and power tools cause crush injuries and amputations when they go unmaintained or run without guards. We examine heavy machinery failures and the maintenance history behind them. Records and inspection logs often tell the real story.
- Electrocutions. Exposed wiring and contact with live lines cause burns, cardiac damage, and death on active sites. Our attorneys build electrical injury claims against the parties that left the hazard in place. These injuries are frequently more severe than they first appear.
- Caught-in and caught-between accidents. Trench collapses and moving equipment can pin or crush a worker in seconds. These cases call for fast investigation, because a site changes quickly once work resumes. We move to preserve conditions before that happens.
- Struck-by vehicle accidents. Dump trucks, loaders, and delivery vehicles working in close quarters strike workers on foot. Sight lines, spotters, and traffic plans usually become the central questions. We look at how the site was supposed to be managed.
- Burns and fires. Flammable materials, gas lines, and hot work expose crews to severe burn injuries. We work with fire and safety consultants to establish where the danger started and who allowed it.
Why Choose The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP as My Construction Accident Lawyer in Manhattan, NY?
Results in Serious Construction Cases
Our firm has recovered more than $131 million for injured clients, including some of the largest worksite recoveries reported in the state. A sample of our construction results include:
- $36,000,000 settlement for a construction worker who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck by a utility pole, the largest personal injury settlement reported in New York State
- $5,500,000 for a construction worker struck by an excavator bucket
- $5,460,000 verdict for a worker who sustained pelvic fractures after being crushed by a forklift
- $4,500,000 settlement for a worker who fell from a ladder and needed multiple surgeries on his ankle
- $3,500,000 verdict for a worker whose hand was injured by the barrel of a cement mixer
A Manhattan Firm Built on Trial Work
The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP has fought for injured workers since 1937, and three generations of our attorneys have tried cases in New York courtrooms. The same preparation we bring as a personal injury lawyer in Manhattan, NY goes into every construction claim, from the first site inspection through verdict. We know how owners and contractors defend these matters, and we build the record to answer them. Insurers take a prepared file seriously, and that changes what a claim is worth. Manhattan courtrooms and the juries who sit in them are familiar ground for our attorneys.
What Is Important to Understand About a Construction Accident Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Construction Accident Cases
Compensation in a construction case covers what the injury already cost you and what it will keep costing. Some losses are easy to add up, while others reflect the toll the injury takes on your life. Recoverable damages generally include:
- Medical expenses, both current and future
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disfigurement or scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The non-economic losses, like ongoing pain and the limits an injury places on daily life, often matter as much as the bills. New York applies pure comparative negligence, so a worker found partly at fault can still recover, with the award reduced by that percentage of fault. A jury or an insurer weighs how much each person’s conduct contributed, and that split can shape the size of a recovery. Liability on a construction site rarely sits with one company. Owners, contractors, and subcontractors each carry duties, and more than one of them may share the blame for a single injury.
What Are Important Aspects of a Construction Accident Case?
Workers’ compensation bars a claim against your direct employer, yet it rarely covers the full loss. The strongest construction cases identify a negligent party outside that employment relationship, and they preserve the proof early. Sorting out who controlled the work and who created the danger is where these claims are often won or lost.
- A third-party lawsuit against an owner, general contractor, or manufacturer can recover damages that workers’ compensation leaves out.
- Injured workers still have options even when they worked for a subcontractor rather than the general contractor.
- New York extends legal protections to construction workers that many states do not, and a safety violation can strengthen a claim.
- Owners and contractors must report site accidents to the city, which can create an early record of what happened.
What Is the Construction Accident Case Timeline?
Most construction claims move through a familiar sequence, though the pace depends on the injuries and the number of parties involved. New York law gives injured people three years from the date of the accident to file suit. Claims against a public entity carry much shorter notice deadlines, sometimes only a matter of months. Serious injuries can also lengthen the process, since the full extent of a spinal or head injury may take time to establish. In most cases, a claim moves through these stages:
- Investigation and preservation of site evidence
- Filing the lawsuit or any required notices
- Discovery, including depositions and document exchange
- Settlement negotiation
- Trial, if the defense will not offer fair value
Because the window to sue is limited, it is worth confirming how long you have before evidence fades and memories change.
What Should You Bring to Your Construction Accident Consultation?
A first meeting goes further when you bring what you already have on hand. Useful items include:
- Any accident or incident report from the site
- Medical records and bills tied to the injury
- Photos or video of the scene and the equipment
- Pay stubs showing your earnings
- Names and contact details for witnesses
You don’t need every document to start. During a free consultation, we review what you have, explain how the claim looks, and lay out the steps ahead so you know what to expect. There is no cost to sit down with us and no obligation to move forward afterward.
Reach Out to The Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP to Schedule a Consultation
A construction injury can affect your income and your health for years, and the sooner we begin, the more we can protect. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our firm. We will review how the accident happened, answer your questions, and explain what a recovery could look like. Our attorneys respond promptly, and we will tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.