Worker Obtains $440,000 Settlement from Construction Site Accident Caused by Poor Lighting Conditions and Hazardous Working Environment

New York labor laws regulate activity in the workplace and professional relationship between employer and employee. One of their functions is to promote a safe working environment so as to protect workers from any accidental work injury. Recently, a man working in Long Island, New York, obtained a $440,000 settlement because of a fall he suffered while performing construction work at a mall. The construction site accident was caused by poor lighting conditions.

While performing expansion work at the mall, the worker endeavored to dispose of an old pipe in a trash receptacle when he stepped into a depression approximately two feet deep. The fall, according to the worker, exacerbated his lower back pain, which stemmed from an earlier injury. The New York construction accident lawyer for the Long Island worker asserted that the construction site was in violation of certain New York labor laws because it was not equipped with adequate safeguards and violated general safety principles.

For instance, the construction accident lawyer described the nearest lighting fixture to the trash bin as being one hundred and fifty feet away whereas the New York labor law in question specifies that work areas, such as the one where worker was performing his duties, contain a minimum of ten foot-candles of illumination in all directions. The lawyer also argued that the depression should have been covered in accordance with an industrial code that requires that all potentially hazardous openings must be covered to prevent any accidental work injury.

If you or a close family member were the victim of a construction site accident that resulted in serious injuries, you may wish to speak with a lawyer who can assess your potential work injury case and advise you on your legal rights. Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, New York construction accident lawyers, offer experienced representation for the victims of construction site accidents. For more information please call (212) 605-6200.