Roofing Accident Lawyers Serving All New York

Roofers suffered the third-highest fatal injury rate of American workers in 2017. This makes roofing an especially dangerous line of construction work, a field that already carries high risk-971 construction workers lost their lives on the job in 2017, which was 20% of all worker deaths that year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a roofing accident, you need an experienced attorney by your side to help navigate the tumultuous aftermath of the medical troubles and legal proceedings which can result from a serious injury. Our law firm has recovered numerous multi-million dollar results in work injury cases, including roofing accidents. Results include:

• $10,875,000 jury verdict for a union worker who suffered internal injuries after he fell from a rooftop in Brooklyn and was impaled on unguarded steel rebar
• $4,000,000 settlement for a worker who fell from a roof that was wet with rain while he was cutting wood in Nassau County, fracturing part of his spine
• $3,500,000 settlement after a man was struck in the head with a piece of limestone cement which had fallen from a nearby roof at the Upper East Side
• $2,700,000 settlement for a Local 8 union roofer who fell from a roof while performing asbestos removal and re-roofing work in Nassau County
• $1,350,000 settlement after a construction worker slipped and fell off a roof while trying to install shingles in Rockland County, requiring multiple surgeries
• $1,100,000 settlement for an ironworker who had to have fingers amputated after a roof accident in the Bronx

Since 2012, Block O’Toole & Murphy recovered more published verdicts and settlements exceeding $1,000,000 than any other law firm in New York. Receive a free consultation by calling 212-736-5300 or contact us online.

Common Causes of Roofing Accidents

By far the most significant danger to roofers and other construction workers is the risk of fall accidents. Of all the construction workers killed in 2017, 39.2% died as the result of a falling accident, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A few things can cause roofers to suffer catastrophic injuries resulting from fall accidents:

• Roof pitch: Roofs for residential use are generally sloped at least 20 degrees to help with water run-off. Working at these types of angles makes footing naturally less stable and makes it more likely for workers to slip and fall.
• Inclement weather: Dealing with rain, snow and high winds are a reality of construction work. But this becomes especially dangerous for roofers, as even a little bit of moisture can greatly affect traction, leading to potentially disastrous results.
• Debris and tripping hazards: There are likely to be a lot of tools and building materials on a roof where work is being performed. These can serve as tripping hazards if they are not regularly cleaned.
• Electrocution: There are often electrical wires and other cables that run through the roof of a building, putting workers at risk of coming into contact with live wires and being electrocuted.

Performing construction and repair work at high altitudes presents multiple dangers to workers, and these are only a few. Other hazards roofing workers face include tool or machinery malfunction, heat exposure and roof collapses.

Preventing Roofing Accidents

Perhaps the most tragic part of roofing accidents is that most of them can be prevented when the proper safety measures are taken. Some ways to prevent roofing accidents include:

• Identifying and communicating hazards on the job site
• Identifying and communicating safety responsibilities in construction contracts
• Creating on-site employee-based health and safety committees that are actually functional, rather than just existing in name
• Properly labeling all roof hole covers
• Daily hazard assessments to identify and mitigate safety hazards
• Assuring safety plans and programs are implemented and followed at a construction site from the project’s start to finish

What Should I Do After a Roofing Accident?

If you are injured on the job, the first thing you should do is report the injury to your employer. Relaying the facts of your accident as soon as possible is important, because that is when your memory of the event will be clearest. Making your employer aware of the incident will also allow a report to be drawn up, which may be useful later if you choose to pursue legal action.

Injured workers also need to seek medical attention, even if you don’t think you’ve been badly injured. Sometimes, a mixture of shock and adrenaline following an accident can mask the true extent of your injuries. We have settled cases where injured parties did not realize how bad their injuries were in the immediate aftermath of their accident. Don’t take chances with your health.

When you sustain injuries as a result of a work accident, you will also want to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Doing this quickly will make it easier to perform crucial steps such as speaking with witnesses and gathering pictures and evidence of the work site. Don’t wait to put yourself on the path to getting justice and receiving compensation for your damages.

Contact an Injury Attorney Today

The aftermath of a catastrophic personal injury can be stressful and confusing. You may not be able to work, are likely in extreme pain and may have costly medical bills to deal with and are trying to figure out how to pay for.

But you don’t have to go it alone. The construction accident attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy have brought countless cases to a successful conclusion, providing peace of mind, monetary compensation and legal justice to workers injured due to somebody else’s negligence.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a roof-related accident, call us at 212-736-5300 or contact us online to discuss your case with one of our attorneys. There is no charge unless we win your case.

Block O’Toole & Murphy proudly represents all non-union and union workers in New York, including members of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local Unions 154, 195, 203, 22, 241, 74 and 8. Serving Nassau County, Suffolk County, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and all of New York State.