New York Injury Talk Blog

A veteran Department of Transportation (DOT) worker was killed while repaving the Cross Island Parkway, according to New York Daily News. The fatal victim was crushed under the tires of an NYC DOT Mack Truck while he was directing the driver during construction near Northern Boulevard in Queens.

According to the article, the driver lost sight of the victim in the rearview mirror as he was reversing. The driver was determined to be unimpaired and not charged with any crime, though the victim’s family expressed concern over the careless actions of the driver and call for justice. In a statement to the press, the DOT Commissioner called the victim, who worked in the Roadway Repair and Maintenance Division, one of their best workers. His family is very grieved. Although New York workers’ compensation can provide benefits to the surviving family, it is of little comfort to those who have lost someone they loved.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 122 workers were killed in fatal New York work injury accidents in 2009. Of those:

• 53 were caused by transportation incidents,
• 20 involved contact with objects and equipment,
• 19 involved assaults and violent acts,
• 16 involved falls,
• 8 involved exposure to harmful environments or substances, and
• 6 involved fires or explosions.

Fatal work injuries in governmental organizations accounted for 16 of these fatalities.

Workers’ compensation can only repair part of the damage done by a fatal work injury in New York. If the workplace accident was caused by the negligence of another employee or an employer, the family of a fatal victim might pursue legal action for additional compensation with a wrongful death claim.

The compassionate Queens work injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro can help you understand your legal rights if you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a workplace accident in New York. Our dedicated attorneys will examine the details of the situation to determine whether you have a valid claim and thus advise you on your legal options. Please call us for a free consultation today at 1-212-222-4336 so that we may answer any questions you may have.

A 35-year-old lumber company employee was fatally injured when another colleague accidentally turned on the cutting machine that the man was working on, according to WHTC. The man was changing the blades of the cutting machine during early the early morning hours on Monday, February 7 in Dewitt, NY. After realizing the machine had been turned on, the man’s co-worker tried to turn it off, but could not do so before the man sustained fatal injuries.

New York work injuries can cause a heavy burden on an employee and their family. The situation can be made worse in an instant if the injuries sustained are fatal. The loss of a loved one is a difficult time for any family, but can be made substantially worse if the death could have been prevented.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, 4,340 work-related fatalities occurred in the nation. Twenty of those fatalities were in the wood product manufacturing industry.

If you have sustained a serious workplace injury or have lost a family member due to on-the-job negligence in New York, you deserve to know your rights. The experienced New York work injury attorneys at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP have the knowledge and skill to help you obtain justice. While no amount of money will bring your loved one back or take back your accident, it will help to offset accident-related expenses such as medical bills, funeral costs, pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of a help, and more. To learn more about how one of our dedicated attorneys can help you, contact Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP at 212-986-7353. We offer free consultations.

An employee of a Brooklyn tortilla factory is dead after falling into a dough mixing machine that was waist-high recently, according to The Wall Street Journal. The article reports that company has also not carried workers’ compensation insurance since March of last year and has accumulated more than $56,000 in fines. Following the fatal workplace accident, the factory was shut down. The owner of the tortilla factory stated that the worker’s death was the first and that it was caused by human error; however, an advocacy group for workers’ rights alleges that employees had to suffer “sweatshop conditions.”

New York’s workers’ compensation laws requires that businesses carry insurance for all of their employees, either by purchasing a policy, providing their own insurance, or being legally exempt from the requirement in certain instances. Should a business fail to comply with the law, they could face heavy fines and other penalties.

When a worker is injured or killed in a New York work accident due to negligence, the employer can be held liable. It is the employer's responsibility to provide a safe working environment and to adhere to all standards and regulations according to the law.

If you have been injured in a workplace accident in New York, you deserve to know your rights. At Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP, our New York work injury lawyers are dedicated to helping you hold negligent parties responsible for their actions. While workers’ compensation covers most expenses resulting from a work injury, it may not cover all of them. Our attorneys will examine every detail of your on-the-job accident injury to build a strong case on your behalf to ensure that you are compensated fairly. You don’t have to suffer a serious injury alone. Call Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP at 212-986-7353 to schedule a free consultation.