Rockland County Construction Accident Lawyer

Were you injured on a construction site in Rockland County, NY?

At Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C., we are recognized for our personal injury representation of injured clients throughout Rockland County, including workers hurt on construction sites.

If you were hurt on a job site, the workers’ compensation system may cover part of your medical bills and wages, but it is often not enough. New York law imposes heightened duties on property owners and general contractors to keep construction sites safe, and when they fail, injured workers can pursue additional compensation through a third-party claim. Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. has offices in New City and has represented injured workers and their families since 1975. Our Rockland County, NY construction accident lawyer can evaluate your case during a consultation and determine whether a claim exists beyond workers’ compensation.

Construction Accident Lawyer Rockland County, NY

A construction accident lawyer identifies every party responsible for the unsafe conditions that caused a worker’s injury and builds a claim that goes beyond what workers’ compensation provides. The construction sector recorded 50 fatal workplace injuries across New York State in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 24 of the 55 construction and extraction worker deaths statewide that year. Construction remains the deadliest private-sector industry in New York.

Rockland County’s ongoing residential development, road projects, and commercial construction in towns like Clarkstown, Ramapo, and Haverstraw expose workers to the same hazards that drive those statewide numbers.

Types of Construction Accident Cases We Handle in Rockland County

Construction injuries result from predictable, preventable hazards. OSHA has identified falls, struck-by incidents, electrocutions, and caught-in/between accidents as the leading causes of construction deaths nationwide. We represent injured workers in Rockland County in the following types of cases:

• Falls from heights. Falls from scaffolds, ladders, roofs, and unfinished structures account for the largest share of construction fatalities. When fall protection was missing, defective, or never provided, the property owner and general contractor can be held responsible.
• Scaffold collapses and failures. Improperly assembled scaffolding, overloaded platforms, and missing guardrails cause workers to fall or be struck by collapsing components. We pursue claims against the parties who erected, inspected, or controlled the scaffold.
• Struck-by accidents. Falling tools, swinging crane loads, and unsecured materials strike workers on active sites. We identify whether proper barriers, netting, and tethering were in place.
• Crane and heavy equipment accidents. Operator error, mechanical failure, and poor signaling cause crushing injuries and fatalities involving cranes, backhoes, and excavators. We retain engineers to determine the cause.
• Electrocution. Contact with exposed wiring, overhead power lines, and improperly grounded equipment results in burns, cardiac arrest, and death. We investigate whether the site was properly de-energized and whether the contractor maintained required clearance distances.
• Trench and excavation collapses. An unshored trench can collapse without warning, burying workers in seconds. We pursue claims against contractors who failed to slope, shore, or shield the excavation as required.
• Caught-in/between accidents. Workers caught between moving equipment, between a vehicle and a fixed structure, or inside collapsing formwork sustain crushing injuries that are often fatal or permanently disabling.
• Fire and explosion accidents. Gas leaks, welding near flammable materials, and improper storage of chemicals cause fires and explosions on construction sites. We identify the parties whose failures created the danger.
• Wrongful death. When a construction accident kills a worker, the family can pursue compensation for lost financial support, funeral costs, and loss of companionship through a wrongful death action.

Why Choose Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. as My Construction Accident Lawyer in Rockland County, NY?

A Construction Verdict That Set the Standard

Barry S. Kantrowitz tried a construction site fatality case to a $9.2 million jury verdict, which was the highest of its kind in Rockland County when it was rendered. That result required retained safety professionals, detailed site reconstruction, and the willingness to take the case to verdict rather than accept an inadequate offer. He has practiced for more than 40 years and holds the AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He is a member of The National Trial Lawyers and has been selected as a Super Lawyer in New York. As a Rockland County resident and former county legislator, he understands the local development landscape and the courts where these cases are heard.

Kate Carballo is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney designated by the Supreme Court of New Jersey and has been selected to the Super Lawyers list from 2024 through 2026. She brings more than 14 years of litigation experience and a record of vigorous advocacy for seriously injured clients. Our personal injury lawyer in Rockland County, NY has the level of preparation and courtroom credibility that injured workers need.

Results That Reflect Serious Case Preparation

Our clients have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements across construction, premises liability, and medical malpractice matters, including:

• $9.2 million jury verdict for the families of two teenagers killed at a construction site
• $14 million jury verdict for three individuals harmed by a negligent professional
• $1 million+ structured settlement for a worker who fell 15 feet from a ladder
• $1,038,000 jury verdict for a man injured in a stairway fall
• $428,000 settlement for a construction worker’s ankle injury

We handle construction accident cases on a contingency basis. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover for you, and we advance all litigation costs.

Understanding Construction Accident Cases

Workers’ Compensation and Third-Party Claims in New York

Workers’ compensation covers medical treatment and a percentage of lost wages, but it does not compensate for pain and suffering, and the wage replacement is capped. In New York, injured construction workers often have a separate claim against a third party whose negligence contributed to the accident.

New York law places heightened responsibility on property owners and general contractors to maintain safe conditions at construction sites. When a worker falls from a height because fall protection was not provided, or is struck by a falling object because proper safeguards were absent, the owner or contractor who controlled the site can be held liable. This responsibility exists independent of whether the worker was also covered by workers’ compensation.

Common third-party defendants in Rockland County construction accident cases include:

• Property owners who controlled the premises and failed to ensure safe conditions
• General contractors who directed the work and failed to enforce safety protocols
• Subcontractors whose negligent work created hazards for other trades
• Equipment manufacturers whose defective tools, ladders, or machinery caused or contributed to the injury
• Architects and engineers whose plans or specifications contained dangerous errors

A third-party claim allows an injured worker to recover the full range of damages that workers’ compensation does not cover, including pain and suffering and the gap between capped wage benefits and actual lost earnings.

What Are Important Aspects of a Construction Accident Case?

Construction sites change rapidly. Equipment is moved, hazards are repaired, and conditions that existed at the time of the accident may look entirely different by the following week. Several elements determine whether a third-party claim can be proven:

• Immediate evidence preservation. Photographs of the site, the equipment, the defective condition, and the area where the accident occurred are most valuable in the hours after the incident.
• OSHA records. An OSHA investigation may result in citations against the general contractor or property owner. Those findings, while not conclusive in a civil case, support the injured worker’s claim.
• Safety logs and training records. Daily safety reports, toolbox talk documentation, and training certifications reveal whether the contractor was meeting its obligations.
• The statute of limitations. New York gives injured workers three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under CPLR § 214. Claims against a municipality or government entity carry shorter deadlines.
• Contract and subcontract review. Construction projects involve layers of agreements that allocate responsibility for safety. Mapping these relationships early ensures every liable party is identified.

What Is the Construction Accident Case Timeline?

Construction injury cases involve more parties and more technical evidence than most personal injury claims. The general sequence in a Rockland County construction case follows these stages:

• Emergency treatment and hospitalization, followed by ongoing surgical and rehabilitative care
• Filing for workers’ compensation benefits with your employer’s carrier
• Investigation of the site by our firm and retained safety professionals, including engineer inspections and OSHA records requests
• Identification of all third-party defendants and their insurance policies
• A demand to the responsible parties once your medical condition stabilizes
• Filing suit in Supreme Court if settlement offers are inadequate, followed by discovery, depositions, and mediation or trial

Cases with straightforward liability and clear third-party responsibility may resolve within 12 to 18 months. Multi-party disputes with catastrophic injuries and complex engineering questions can extend to three years.

What Should You Bring to Your Construction Accident Consultation?

The following materials help us assess your third-party claim. Bring what you have, and we will obtain the rest:

• The incident report filed with your employer or the site supervisor
• Any OSHA citations or inspection reports connected to the accident
• Photographs of the site, the equipment, and your injuries
• Your workers’ compensation claim number and carrier information
• Medical records and bills from emergency and follow-up treatment
• The names of the general contractor, property owner, and any subcontractors working on the project

During the consultation, we will explain whether a third-party claim exists and outline the potential defendants and insurance policies involved.

Reach Out to Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

If you were hurt on a construction site in Rockland County, Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. can help you understand the full scope of your legal options. Workers’ compensation alone rarely accounts for the true cost of a serious construction injury. Contact us for a consultation today.