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New York City Building Collapse Lawyer

A building collapse is always unexpected–and traumatic. NYC building collapses on construction sites can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries. Whether the building was already being used, under construction or pending demolition, a collapse shouldn’t just happen. If you were hurt, you have the right to hold the party who caused the accident responsible.

Even when you clearly had nothing to do with the building collapse, getting the money you need is rarely easy. You need a strong advocate in your corner. Our NYC personal injury attorneys have won millions for our injured clients and are ready to go to work for you.

Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers has over 40 years of experience fighting to protect accident victims’ rights across New York City. If you were hurt on a construction site, call an experienced NYC construction accident lawyer as soon as you can for a free consultation.

Why You Need a Lawyer if You Were Hurt in an NYC Building Collapse

If you were seriously hurt in a building collapse, the last thing you need is more paperwork and insurance forms to handle. Our lawyers can handle those aspects of your claim. In reality, however, getting fair compensation is much more than filing a simple claim with the insurance company.

A building collapse–whether a total or partial collapse–is a serious matter. One person probably wasn’t entirely responsible for the collapse. You might have no idea who the responsible parties might be. 

If the insurance company offers you a settlement right away, it’s important to think about why. Insurance companies are out to make money–not give it away without a fight. An experienced lawyer will take an in-depth look at your case to find out what you really deserve.

At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers will:

• Consult the leading engineering and construction safety experts in the business to find out what happened
• Review accident reports and safety records
• Interview workers, employees and anyone involved in the building construction
• Review your medical records and work with experts to get a fair estimate of how much your injuries will cost over time
• Negotiate with insurance companies, defense lawyers and negligent parties who are likely to deny responsibility

Getting to the bottom of what caused the collapse might not be easy. Our lawyers have a reputation for never backing down. We take our attorney-client relationship seriously and are ready to put the full weight of our experience to work for you. 

Give us a call today to get experienced legal advice about your claim.

Why Might a Building Collapse in New York, NY?

Under normal conditions, a building won’t simply collapse without cause. Any number of factors can contribute to a building collapse in the city–and taking proper safety precautions is key to preventing catastrophe. Often, building collapses occur because someone was negligent. 

Some of the causes that can lead to a building collapse include:

• Defects in the foundation
• Defective or sub-par building materials
• Defects in the building design
• Fire damage
• Damage caused by water, rust or mold
• Excessive weight within the structure
• Errors during construction or demolition of a building
• Ceiling collapse
• Excessive snow buildup
• Improperly placed construction materials
• Deviations from the original building design

Building codes set strict standards to make sure NYC buildings are safe. Construction safety laws are designed to protect construction workers on the job. When someone disregards those rules, the health and safety of everyone involved is put at risk.

Who Can Be Held Financially Accountable for a Building Collapse?

If you work in construction, you already know that constructing a building is a team effort. Multiple companies are usually involved and each has their own set of responsibilities. All of these responsibilities are regulated by the city, state and even the federal government. 

Failure to follow NYC building codes and labor laws properly might increase someone’s profit margins–but could also cause a catastrophic building collapse. 

Some of the parties who might be held financially responsible for a building collapse include:

• General contractors
• Property owners
• Subcontractors
• Demolition companies
• Engineers
• Architects
• Material suppliers
• Manufacturers of defective materials or tools

Each party has their role to play. General contractors and property owners often have ultimate responsibility for supervision and decision-making. Under New York Labor Law, these people and entities have a general duty to provide a reasonably safe work environment for everyone involved.

Our Lawyers Handle All Injury Claims

Building collapses are extremely traumatic events. Many victims suffer catastrophic injuries–and some are fatal.

Some examples of serious building collapse injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Amputations
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Facial lacerations and scarring
• Broken ribs
• Crush injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Organ damage
• Broken bones
• Burn injuries
• Wrongful death

We know it can be difficult to think about anything else but the long recovery you’re facing. Our construction accident lawyers are available to visit you at your convenience. We can travel to the hospital to speak with you and your family about how we can fight to protect your right to compensation. 

If you want to learn more about your legal rights, don’t hesitate to call for more information.

How do I get Compensation if I was Hurt in a Building Collapse?

If you were hurt in a building collapse, you have options to get the money you need for medical bills, lost wages, and more. You could pursue workers’ compensation benefits if you were on the clock, or you might instead choose to file a personal injury claim. Our experienced personal injury lawyers will listen to what happened and investigate to identify all available sources of compensation.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

If the building collapsed while you were at work on the construction site, you likely have the right to claim workers’ compensation. New York workers’ compensation law gives workers who were hurt on the job the right to benefits for:

• Medical expenses
• Part of their lost wages
• Disability
• Survivors in fatality cases

You don’t have to prove fault to get these benefits. That removes some of the complications accident victims sometimes face. You do, however, give up the right to sue your employer.

There are trade-offs with the workers’ compensation system–you might get the money much faster than if you file a personal injury claim. On the other hand, you might not get enough to cover all your costs. Our experienced personal injury attorneys at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers can help you understand your rights and options. 

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit Against a Negligent Party

If you were hurt at work, you can’t sue your employer. You can, however, sue anyone else whose negligence caused the building to collapse. This type of lawsuit is known as a third-party claim and can get you compensation over and above what workers’ compensation offers. 

You also have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit if you were a building resident or bystander injured in a building collapse.

To get compensation via the personal injury process, you have to show what, or who caused the collapse. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help establish liability by conducting a full investigation into the collapse. 

This is obviously more time-consuming than simply filing for workers’ comp. The trade-off is that you become eligible to get money for all of the costs associated with your injury, including:

• Medical bills
• Future medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of your earning capacity
• Rehabilitation
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress

If your injuries were catastrophic or permanent, you might require around-the-clock care. The cost of medical devices and modifications to your home can also be shocking. The party who caused your accident should be held responsible for all of these costs.

If you lost your loved one in a building collapse, you also have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. You may be entitled to damages to account for the loss of your loved one’s company, financial support and more. 

Time Limits Can Impact Your Right to Compensation

Under New York state law, accident victims only get three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. To get workers’ compensation benefits, you have only 30 days to notify your employer of the accident. After giving the initial notice, you have a year to file the actual workers’ compensation claim.

The clock usually begins to run on the date of your accident. Even if you aren’t sure how or why the building collapsed, it’s best to speak with a personal injury lawyer right away. We can work to preserve your right to get the money you need from all available sources.

Call Our New York City Construction Accident Law Firm for a Free Consultation Today

When a building collapse causes extensive damage and injuries, it’s natural to want to wait and see what someone else’s investigation finds. Waiting comes with its costs. 

At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers don’t wait for valuable evidence to disappear during someone else’s investigation. Our promises are much more than just attorney advertising–we will go to work immediately to find out what happened. 

If you or a loved one were hurt in a New York City building collapse, let an experienced NYC building collapse lawyer protect your right to fair compensation. Call our personal injury law firm today for a free consultation.

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Visit Our Law Office In New York City, NY

Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers
100 Wall St 15th Floor, New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007