A New York City employee has been charged with lying about an inspection he supposedly made of a construction crane that collapsed last weekend killing seven people, according to reports Thursday.
However, the newspaper said Marquette’s failure to inspect the crane was almost certainly not a factor in the deadly collapse, which officials think may have been caused by a nylon strap failing.
If you have experienced a construction accident in New York then you are probably replaying the events in your head and trying to determine whose fault the construction accident really was. Think it over carefully and ask any witnesses that were on hand to explain what they saw. (If you are considering a lawsuit then you should get their name and contact information) Remembering what happened during a construction accident is very important, as it will determine the strength of a potential lawsuit.
First realize that not all incidents of a construction accident are the fault of the company. Sometimes construction site accidents are merely the fault of the injured party. These types of accidents usually not open to compensation claims. However, most construction accidents fall under the liability of the employer, and do involve negligence.
The issue of negligence and liability may be more complicated than you initiall thought. For example, defective machinery would be the fault of an employer, as would improperly constructed scaffolding. Falling loads due to improper loading as well as trips and falls due to material left around the site would be considered negligent. Falling structures or equipment would certainly not be the fault of the injured party, nor would any injury caused by irresponsible installation of electrical devices.
Additionally, a company that keeps poor hiring practices or provided inadequate training and supervision would be liable for an on-the-job injury. The negligence of other construction workers would also not fault the injured party, especially if other workers were behaving inappropriately or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
If you have been injured in a NY construction accident then it is best to speak to an attorney about your options. Do not feel reluctant to do so. After all, it is your legal right and most law firms will offer a free consultation with a lawyer. Know your rights before taking any further steps.
If you have recently been involved in a construction accident then know that you are not alone. Every year, many experienced professionals fall victim to injury on a construction site. Despite the fact that most companies do strictly follow health and safety rules, a construction accident can happen at any time and to anyone. Becoming familiar with hard statistics regarding on-the-job industry may open your eyes as to the industry and your personal case.
According to information compiled by the United States Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics, accidental injuries are the fifth most common case of death in the United States. There are at least 11,200 disabling construction injuries for every hour in a given year. That means that that about one in ten workers can expect to be injured every year.
The most common construction accident reported is site falls, particularly among fatalities. As far as disabling injuries, the most commonly reported injury suffered at construction sites included leg injuries, arm injuries and hands. The iron working industry proved to be most dangerous job, while Alaska and Wyoming had the highest incidents of fatalities. As for New York? By percentage of population, there were fewer accidental deaths reported in New York than any other state.
If you have been injured because of a construction accident then it is imperative that you seek legal counsel as soon as possible. Most law firms will offer a free and confidential consultation that will explain your rights, your situation and what you can expect. You may even be offered legal representation if your case seems viable.
Usually these accidents occur because of negligence or defective machinery. A disabling injury is nothing to dismiss. Depending on the nature of your case, you may be eligible for damages. The hard facts about NY construction accident incidents should encourage you to take action
New York City is a wonderland of tall buildings; glass encased architectural marvels and rock solid business buildings. Despite their beauty and function, these buildings pose serious safety issues for many people. Whether it is a wet floor in a tile lobby, a crumbling brownstone that poses the threat or a high rise apartment building with a dangerously slick foyer, dealing with a building accident can be a hassle.
What comprises a building accident? There are quite a few risks associated with buildings. While they are safe places for the most part, you can easily be injured, especially if the management company is not dedicated and safety focused. The most common form of building accident is a slip. Most new buildings have begun using tile, granite and marble in place of carpeting.
While this is an undeniably more beautiful option, it also poses safety risks. The slightest amount of moisture on this type of floor can make your feet fly out from under you faster than you would believe. The slip is only the first part of the accident. Broken bones, missing teeth and concussions are all common effects of a slip accident on a hard floor.
Another common type of building accident involves stairs. Moisture on the stairs, poorly lit conditions and a lack of proper maintenance can all contribute to a fall down the stairs. This poses much more of a threat to your personal health than a simple fall on the floor. Falling down the stairs can lead to shattered bones, cuts and lacerations, broken ribs, paralysis and even death.
Unfortunately, being careful where you walk is only half of the equation. If the building management and maintenance team is not dedicated to safety, it can be difficult to avoid being injured in a building. If you are injured in a building accident, you may expect the building management’s insurance company to pick up the tab for your medical bills. While this is a very reasonable expectation, many times it is a false expectation. The insurance company will likely do everything in their power get out of paying any bills due to your injury.
So, how do you deal with a building injury if the insurance company is not willing to help you? The best option is a personal injury attorney or law firm. They will have the expertise you need to hold the building management company responsible for their careless actions. If you have been injured in a building, through no fault of your own, hiring a lawyer is your best bet to get the monetary compensation that you need.
You can expect to collect the medical payment that you need, but you may also be entitled to pain and suffering damages from the management company, depending on the severity of your injuries and the treatment and care offered to you. Finding a legal partner that will help you through the process is the best idea. With the right law firm, you stand a good chance of winning your case.
Christoper Canzona, the brother of Clifford Canzona – who was killed in the recent New York City crane accident – filed the first lawsuit related to that incident. The suit is on behalf of his brother’s family and is seeking $30 million dollars.
According to the notice, Clifford Canzona was helping to erect a 46-story building when the accident occurred and was found dead “on March 18 under rubble and debris crushed by the crane”. He fell 18 floors.
The notice alleges that the accident was “caused, in part, by the negligence of the city” and its Department of Buildings in failing to check the construction site.
Meanwhile a city construction site inspector has been arrested after authorities said he lied about inspecting the crane on 4 March.
It’s expected that several other lawsuits will soon follow this one.
Patrice O’Shaughnessy reported on the five construction workers that were killed in the recent Midtown New York crane accident. Of the five men who died, one of them was Wayne Bleidner.
…who grew up on City Island and followed his dad’s footsteps as a crane operator.
O’Shaughnessy wrote about the continuous – and needless construction accidents that have been occurring in the last few years. In this case, there had actually been complaints about the crane.
Neighbors had complained to the Buildings Department that the crane looked wobbly. The site had racked up a dozen violations. But the building went on.
There’s no doubt that several lawsuits will be pending the discovery of this new information. Right now, there’s a wait and see period while the forensics investigation gets under way.
In a surprising turn of events, Edward Marquette was arrested in connection to the New York crane accident that killed seven people. Marquette falsely stated that he investigated the crane that ended up collapsing.
The arrest of the inspector, Edward Marquette, should be setting off alarms for Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his administration. Yet Patricia Lancaster, the city buildings commissioner, appears to be playing down the importance of an inspector who allegedly failed to review the site 11 days before the accident.
Lancaster believes that it simply isn’t likely that the crane failure was the fault of their inspector not inspecting the crane. It seems that her assessment is more blind damage control, which will hardly matter once the lawsuits start to come in.
Cranes are everywhere, especially in the East Side and Midtown Manhattan areas, but is it safe? There seems to be an escalating increase in construction accidents, with the crane accident that killed seven people being the latest. Liz Krueger thinks she knows the problem.
Our city’s approach to construction approvals and safety has been fundamentally flawed since changes were enacted by the Giuliani administration. Because of a lack of enforcement by the Department of Buildings, along with an extremely hot real estate market, many developers and their contractors ignore safety requirements, disregard building codes and violate zoning laws.
Ultimately, she thinks that there are several solutions, including the need to raise the city’s standards. Another key area is to actually enforce the standards that are in place – if we really want to avoid future incidents. Until then, we’re going to continue to see more needless construction accidents and even more construction accident lawsuits.
For nearly a year, people in East Harlem complained that an empty building at 102 East 124th Street was falling apart. They were right. In November, the owner, a developer with big plans, was told by the Buildings Department to fix up an exterior wall. He did nothing. On Jan. 11, city inspectors said the building was unsafe, and ordered immediate repairs.
They came, they saw, they were ignored.
As crews prepare to remove the fallen crane in Manhattan, they have some tough tasks ahead of them. The crane is unwieldy and still poses a major danger to the people and buildings around it. Not only that, emergency crews are still searching for survivors, especially in light of 3 people who are currently missing.
The crane is being taken apart piece-by-piece, then fire fighters are searching the areas where the crane has been removed. So far, they haven’t found any new survivors or bodies.
Nobody is sure how the crane accident occurred. By all appearances, every precaution was taken to ensure the safety of the construction site.
“As far as we can tell all procedures that were called for appear to have been followed,” the mayor said.
Asked about a report that crane might have been improperly stabilized, Mr. Bloomberg said Buildings Department officials said the crane was attached to the building under construction at the third and ninth floor, and that Buildings Department officials felt the arrangement was appropriate. He said preliminary information indicated the accident occurred when workers were extending the crane to allow for work on higher stories.
As the investigation continues, there might be elements of negligence on the part of the city or construction company, in which case it’s believed that several construction accident lawsuits will be initiated. Only time will tell.
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