Construction is one of the most dangerous jobs in New York City, and the injuries are often severe: falls from scaffolds and ladders, falling objects, electrocutions, and crushing injuries from heavy equipment. What many injured workers do not realize is that New York law gives them powerful protections that exist nowhere else in the country.
The state's Labor Law — particularly Sections 240 and 241 — places specific, non-delegable safety duties on property owners and general contractors. When those duties are violated and a worker is hurt, the owner or contractor can be held liable in a lawsuit that is entirely separate from, and in addition to, a workers' compensation claim.
For more than 30 years, Adam L. Shapiro & Associates has represented injured construction workers across Queens and New York City, including scaffold falls and worksite injuries. Our founding attorney's insurance-defense background means he understands exactly how owners, contractors, and their carriers try to defeat these claims — and how to build a case they cannot brush aside.
Scaffold & ladder falls
Falls from height — the core of Labor Law § 240 claims.
Falling objects
Struck by dropped tools, materials, or debris.
Electrocution
Contact with live wires and unsafe electrical conditions.
Equipment & machinery
Crushing injuries and defective or unguarded machines.
Trench & excavation
Collapses, cave-ins, and unsafe excavation sites.
Structural collapse
Building, floor, and structural failures.
Labor Law § 240 — often called the "Scaffold Law" — protects workers from elevation-related hazards like falls and falling objects. When an owner or contractor fails to provide proper protection and that failure causes an injury, they can be held strictly liable, meaning the worker's own conduct is often not a defense. It is one of the most powerful tools in New York injury law.
Labor Law § 241(6) requires owners and contractors to comply with specific Industrial Code safety regulations, and § 200 codifies the general duty to provide a safe workplace. Critically, a Labor Law lawsuit is separate from workers' compensation: you can pursue both, and the lawsuit can recover pain and suffering that workers' comp does not.
The Scaffold Law (§ 240)
For elevation-related injuries, owners and contractors can face strict liability — a major advantage for injured workers.
Sue and claim comp
A Labor Law case is separate from workers' compensation. You may pursue both, and the lawsuit can recover pain and suffering.
Undocumented workers protected
New York's Labor Law protections generally apply regardless of immigration status. Everyone on the site has rights.
Medical & surgical care
Emergency treatment, surgeries, and long rehabilitation for serious worksite injuries.
Lost wages & earning capacity
Income lost and the impact on your ability to return to physical work.
Pain and suffering
Available through a Labor Law lawsuit — unlike workers' compensation alone.
Future care & disability
Lifetime treatment, assistive devices, and permanent-disability compensation.
Third-party liability
Claims against contractors, owners, and equipment makers beyond your employer.
Report the injury and get care
Report it to your employer, get medical treatment immediately, and keep every record and receipt.
Write down what happened
Note the site, the equipment, the safety gear provided (or missing), and any witnesses while it is fresh.
Call us before signing anything
Do not give a recorded statement or sign documents from an insurer before you understand your Labor Law rights.
Free case review
We assess your workers' comp claim and any Labor Law lawsuit against owners and contractors, at no cost.
Site & safety investigation
We document the hazard, the missing protections, and every potentially liable party.
Both tracks pursued
We protect your workers' compensation benefits while building the third-party lawsuit.
Negotiation or trial
We pursue full compensation and take the case to trial when the offer is not fair.
I'm getting workers' comp. Can I still sue?
Often, yes. Workers' compensation bars suing your direct employer, but a Labor Law case against the property owner or general contractor is separate — and can recover pain and suffering that comp does not.
What is the "Scaffold Law"?
Labor Law § 240 protects workers from elevation-related hazards like falls and falling objects. When owners or contractors fail to provide proper protection, they can face strict liability.
I'm undocumented. Do I have rights?
Generally, yes. New York's Labor Law protections apply regardless of immigration status. You have the right to a safe worksite and to pursue a claim if you are hurt.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no fee unless we win your case.