A temporary sidewalk accident in New York City last year led the Department of Buildings to investigate the shoddy work of the engineer who designed the shed (which collapsed onto several pedestrians in a minor wind storm in November). The primary sidewalk accident left several people seriously injured including a model who required ongoing rehabilitation for serious spinal injuries.
The engineer, Daniel Odigie, was called negligent in his duty to protect pedestrians by the Commissioner of the DOB after an investigation revealed his designed for the defective structure was completely inadequate.
This finding led DOB investigators to take a closer look at Odigie’s other work in the city. They found at least nine other sidewalk sheds that were poorly designed as well. The agency levied a $16,000 fine against the man and ordered several of his sidewalk sheds to undergo corrective construction to make them safer for everyone.
Temporary sidewalk accidents in New York can be deadly for pedestrians. Having these defective sidewalk sheds hovering over your head, ready to collapse at any given moment, is a terrifying reality-especially when the people who are in charge of designing and building these structures don’t take their jobs or your safety seriously enough.
Indeed, the injured model above has brought lawsuits against several entities involved with the construction of the sidewalk shed that collapsed upon her. It is anticipated that this case will not go to trial and claim will be settled by the insurance well before this case comes to court.
Although New York City premises liability law allows injured individuals to seek legal action against parties responsible for their injuries, you will need an experienced and skilled personal injury attorney to investigate the claim properly; retain a qualified engineer to establish the improperly built shed and negotiate an adequate settlement for your pain and suffering.
Contact an experienced New York City temporary sidewalk accident attorney to discuss your best legal options today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 right now.