Don’t Settle For Less

Don’t Settle For Less

Two Employers Fined for Scaffolding Accident in New York City

On Behalf of | Nov 24, 2020 | Firm News

Two employers are facing fines and potential civil action after a scaffolding accident in New York City that happened years ago. An extensive investigation into a scaffolding collapse that occurred at 265 East 66th Street in Manhattan that ended with one window washer dead and another seriously injured revealed multiple safety violations contributed to the catastrophic equipment failure. Now, two separate employers are facing multiple fines stemming from that investigation and could be facing potential lawsuits on behalf of the surviving victim and the deceased victim’s family members.

The investigation revealed that:

  • The job site failed to have proper fall protection equipment installed
  • The employers failed to provide adequate safety training
  • Equipment was improperly maintained (which contributed to failure)

OSHA’s Manhattan director released a statement that said, in part: “Proper inspection and maintenance of the scaffold and its components could have prevented this accident, while effective employee training and use of fall protection would have stopped any fall.”

In short, deficiencies in both training and equipment maintenance directly contributed to this horrific scaffolding accident.

The two companies which must now bear the responsibility for the scaffolding accident are the window washing company that employed the two victims and the scaffolding inspection company which last serviced the equipment prior to the fatal failure. The fines levied against both companies total $45,000. However, none of that money will go to the surviving victim or the deceased victim’s family.

That’s where the civil legal action comes in. A lawsuit can be brought on behalf of the injured worker for his pain and suffering, lost wages and any unpaid medical bills. The deceased worker’s family could recover the amount of money that the worker would have contributed to his household during his work-life expectancy. However, getting that compensation can be difficult without the help of an experienced scaffolding accident attorney in New York City.

If you’ve been injured in a similar or any kind of construction accident, contact The Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel today for your free consultation. Call 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 right now.

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