Trench Collapse Injury Lawyer in NYC
Working in or near trenches and excavations is among the most dangerous jobs in construction. When the sides of a trench cave-in, workers can be buried alive! The accidents usually result in fatality by asphyxiation or crush injuries.
At The Law Office of Richard M. Kenny in Manhattan, New York, our injury lawyers represent the construction and utility workers who are injured in trench and excavation collapses in the New York City area. We also represent families in cases of fatal cave-ins. Attorney Richard M. Kenny is a former construction worker and member of a laborers’ union who understands the unsafe conditions that construction workers face.
A trench collapse is an accident that can only happen at a job site that ignores worker safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to protect workers in trenches and excavations from the danger of collapse or cave-in. Here are some examples of steps that employers can take to prevent injuries and deaths to workers in trenches:
- Hiring experts in soil composition to evaluate the risk of a cave-in
- Sloping or benching the trench walls to prevent cave-ins
- Shoring up the side of the trench to prevent soil movement
- Shielding workers with trench boxes or other protective systems
- Providing ladders, ramps or steps for workers to safely get out of a trench
- Inspecting trenches daily
- Inspecting trenches after rain
- Keeping heavy equipment away from the edges of trenches
- Avoiding underground utilities such as electrical wires and gas pipes
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides clear guidelines to employers on how to protect workers. When employers ignore those guidelines, our lawyers will use the civil justice system to hold them accountable.
What Are My Legal Options?
Injured workers and family members of wrongful death victims are entitled to benefits from workers’ compensation for any job-related injury. However, workers’ compensation benefits are limited. For example, it does not provide full wage replacement. Nor does it provide compensation for damages such as pain and suffering.
When someone else’s negligence causes a construction accident, you may have legal options beyond workers’ compensation. By filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party, our lawyers can recover full compensation for losses that aren’t covered by workers’ comp. Our lawyers have recovered more than $100 million for injured workers and their families in jury verdicts and settlements.
Contact Our Trench Collapse Injury Attorneys
If you or a family member was injured in a construction site excavation, let our attorneys help. We’ll take immediate steps to collect and preserve evidence of liability. In addition to U.S. workers, we represent undocumented workers and citizens of foreign countries who are injured while working in the New York City area. Call (212) 421-0300 or request a submit a free case evaluation form online.
