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• Construction Accident
• Railroad Accidents
• Maritime Law
• Premises Liability

Railroad, Construction and Maritime Accident News in New York and New Jersey

For the states of New York and New Jersey, Hofmann & Schweitzer posts legal news related to railroad, construction and other personal injury accidents.  Maritime injury and accident news are also regularly posted.

News Category: All CategoriesConstruction AccidentRailroad AccidentsMaritime LawPremises LiabilityGeneral

Construction Accident

• Subcontractor Dies at New Jersey Residential Construction Site
  Jan 01, 2012

  On Saturday, December 4, 2011, the residential construction site located at 1307 84^th Street in North Bergen, New Jersey was active. The house was reportedly being renovated. On the morning of December 4, a truck with a trash container attached by cable was on site. A worker was driving the truck and the trash bin was reportedly filled with debris from the construction site when the cable holding the trash bin snapped and broke through the back windshield shortly before noon.

  The detached cable hit the truck driver in the back of the head and was said to have caused major trauma that led to his death at the scene of the construction site. The worker has been identified as 33-year-old Cesar Ordon, of West New York.

  A supervisor for Champion Construction and Demolition, Inc. has said that Mr. Ordon was working as a subcontractor on this job. Mr. Ordon’s family as well as appropriate state and federal officials were notified of the tragic accident. OSHA is currently investigating this fatal New Jersey construction accident.

  Our New Jersey construction accident lawyers extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Cesar Ordon following his untimely death.

• A Building Collapses in Brooklyn Killing a Construction Worker
  Dec 10, 2011

  On Tuesday, November 8, 2011 a condominium building collapsed at 2929 Brighton Fifth Street in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. The building, which was under construction, came down shortly before 2:30 p.m. Neighbors report hearing the crash of the building several blocks away.

  The New York Fire Department responded to this New York City construction accident and attempted to rescue five construction workers struck in the rubble. One construction worker declined treatment, three workers were taken to Lutheran Medical Center in stable condition, and one worker died from his injuries.

  According to Robert LiMandri, Commissioner of the Buildings Department, an improper practice was being used to pour the concrete for the building. Workers started pouring concrete from the top floors and worked down instead of working from the bottom up, which is generally considered to be safer. Commissioner LiMandri believes that the way the concrete was poured was a “major contributor to this collapse.” There has been no comment from the contractor, S P & K Construction.

  A stop work order has been issued at this construction site.

  Our New York construction accident lawyers express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the construction worker who died, and we express our best wishes for a fast and complete recovery to everyone who was injured.

• Construction Accident Claims Life of New York City Man
  Nov 19, 2011

  A New York City construction worker was killed while working on a Bronx construction site last month. This fatal construction accident occurred on Saturday, October 30 while a crew was doing demolition work on a commercial site.
  
  According to the New York Police Department, 51-year-old Muhamed Kebbeth of Story Avenue in the Bronx was trapped in a two-story commercial building when about a dozen pillars in the basement gave way and the building collapsed. Firefighters from the New York Fire Department dug Mr. Kebbeth out from the rubble of bricks and debris. Using just their hands, the firefighters were able to free Mr. Kebbeth from the six feet of debris in about 10 minutes. Approximately 50 firefighters responded to the accident call.
  
  People in a carpet store nearby heard the collapse and called 911 for help. Two other New York construction workers were also involved in this accident, but they reportedly escaped unharmed. Their names have not yet been reported by the media. Neither has the media identified the owner of the construction site where the accident occurred.
  
  We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Muhamed Kebbeth following this tragic New York City construction accident.

• Guilty Plea Entered in 2008 New York Fatal Crane Collapse Case
  Nov 14, 2011

  Tibor Varganyi, a former employee of New York Crane and Equipment Corporation, has pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and agreed to testify against his former boss in relation to the fatal crane accident on the Upper East Side several years ago.
  
  Mr. Varganyi is said to have admitted to the court that he was asked by his boss, James Lomma, to have the turntables in some of the cranes repaired. Mr. Varganyi allegedly turned down the offers of two U.S. companies to do the work because Mr. Lomma was reportedly concerned about how long the work would take to finish. Instead, a Chinese company that may have lacked the ability to do the work safely was hired. Mr. Varganyi admitted that no safety testing was done to verify the work of the Chinese company after it was completed.
  
  The weld on the crane cracked after the work was done causing the crane to fall on May 30, 2008 and kill two construction workers, Donald Leo and Ramadan Kurtaj.
  
  Mr. Lomma and his companies still face various charges with relation to the deaths of Mr. Leo and Mr. Kurtaj including second degree manslaughter and reckless endangerment. The trial could start as soon as this month.
  

• New Jersey Construction Workers Injured in Roof Collapse
  Nov 08, 2011

  Five New Jersey construction workers were injured in an Ocean County construction accident last month. The workers were building a Quick Chek convenience store in Berkeley Township when the roof gave way. At least one worker was pinned under the lumber. The accident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on the morning of October 19, 2011, when the weather was rainy and high winds were reported.
  
  According to a spokesperson for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the roof trusses gave way causing the collapse. High winds may have been a factor in the accident. Reports indicate that J.G. Petrucci Co. Inc. was building the Quick Chek store and that the company had contracted with CCS, Incorporated for the roof trusses.
  
  This New Jersey construction site has been shut down until further notice. However, reports indicate that the store is still scheduled to open sometime early next year.
  
  The workers' injuries are said to range from broken bones to chest pains. All five of the injured workers were taken to area hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
  
  We extend our best wishes to the construction workers injured in this accident, and we hope that they have quick and complete recoveries from their New Jersey construction accident injuries.
  

• New York Construction Worker Dies in Manhattan Church
  Nov 01, 2011

  A 33-year-old construction worker fell to his death in a Manhattan church last month. Reports indicate that the construction worker was repairing the roof of St. Paul the Apostle Church at 13 West 60th Street on the morning of October 13, 2011.
  
  At approximately 9:30 a.m. the man fell approximately 125 feet off of a ladder and landed in the aisle of the main part of the church. The church was mostly empty at the time. However, the Rockettes were practicing for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in the basement of the church. They report hearing a big bang.
  
  The investigation in to what caused the man to fall from the ladder is ongoing. According to New York Fire Department (FDNY) officials, there were reports of electrical issues and that remains a possible factor in this accident.
  
  The pastor of the parish, Father Gilbert Martinez, said that this worker, whose name has not yet been released to the media, had been working on the church restoration for at least the past two years with a company called West New York. Father Martinez performed last rites on the body.
  
  Our New York construction accident lawyers extend our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of this construction worker following this fatal accident.
  

• OSHA Fines New Jersey Construction Company for Safety Violations
  Oct 17, 2011

  On Monday, September 26, 2011, Illescas Brothers Construction Inc. of Paterson, New Jersey was fined more than $65,000 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations that allegedly put construction workers in danger.
  
  Specifically, OSHA found that Illescas Brothers Construction had at least a dozen safety violations related to masonry work on a Fort Lee home. When the agency visited the construction site on June 28, 2011, the alleged safety violations included improper scaffolding, failure to implement a respiratory protection plan, failure to protect workers from falling material, and inadequate fall protection. According to OSHA, Illescas Brothers Construction Inc. was cited for similar violations in 2007.
  
  One OSHA employee is cited as accusing Illescas Brothers Construction of having, "[a] careless approach to worker safety and health..."
  
  Six of the OSHA violations were labeled as serious. A serious violation is defined as hazard which the employer knew or should have known about that has a substantial probability of resulting in death or serious physical harm.
  
  Illescas Brothers Construction Inc. has fifteen business days to respond to the OSHA investigation. To date, there have been no reports of New Jersey construction accidents or worker injuries as a result of the violations.
  

• UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS - DISARRAY OR REARRANGING?
  Oct 12, 2011

  UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS - DISARRAY OR REARRANGING?

  New York City District Council of Carpenters union rank and file members staged a rally at union headquarters in Manhattan protesting proposed changes to wages and mobility rules, calling it a "Rally for Solidarity."

  New rules are being put in place following the federal government imposing leadership on the various unions making up the District Council. From our viewpoint, the federal government has overblown the threats it alleges exist. True, ejecting the Forde administration was reasonable and necessary, but the current decimation to the District Council structure is overblown and unnecessary, such as forcing of the merger of the Dockbuilders and Timbermen.

  Politically aspiring prosecutors are notorious for picking on unions for doing the petty things that corporations get away with without a second glance. Unions are an easy mark, and their members are too busy working their butts off supporting their families to be able to effectively say to the feds "enough"!

  Here is what "Supervisor" Frank Spencer had to say:

  I fully respect the concerns expressed by our membership. The leadership of the District Council has offered a strong proposal to amend its bylaws that expand democracy within the New York City operation and provide further financial transparency. We are working with the Review Officer and the U.S. Attorney's office to develop these bylaws and to ensure our membership has the opportunity to provide more into the operations of their union. I want to ensure our members that their concerns and opinions are being heard and that pertains to changes going forward in the out of work list as well.

   

  Mr. Spencer was appointed by the U.S. Attorney as an "emergency supervisor" of the District Council in August 2009 following a series of federal investigations into wrongdoings and alleged wrongdoings of previous council leaders. Many union members believe that Mr. Spencer's work is part of a power play by the international UBC to consolidate power, and to control the New York District Council. Mr. Spencer, they note, also serves as a Vice President in the UBC under President Douglas McCarron.

• New York City Construction Scaffolding Accident Injures 17
  Oct 07, 2011

  A New York City construction accident injured 17 people on Tuesday, September 20, 2011. The accident involved scaffolding being used at a five story brick building located at 301 West 125th Street in Harlem. The injuries occurred when the scaffolding collapsed and fell on to a New York City bus below.
  
  A preliminary investigation indicates that work was being done on an elevator shaft that caused bricks to dislocate, fall on to the scaffolding and knock it down. However, the cause of the accident remains under investigation and no final cause has yet been determined.
  
  The New York City Buildings Department confirms that it had received a complaint about the demolition construction work being done at 301 West 125th Street and that the Department had investigated the complaint. The investigation included inspectors visiting the construction site where no violations were reported.
  
  The 17 people injured included at least two police officers, who were assisting at the accident scene, and at least eight passengers on the city bus. While the full extent of their injuries has not been released, the injuries are described as non-life threatening.
  
  We wish everyone involved in this New York scaffolding accident a full and fast recovery.
  

• Thousands of Construction Projects on Hold in NYC Due to Economy - But the Market is Starting to Open Up
  Oct 06, 2011

  Thousands of Construction Projects on Hold in NYC Due to Economy - But the Market is Starting to Open Up

  The 2008 market crash left thousands of construction projects shutdown. Tthe New York City Department of Buildings even created a "Stalled Sites Unit" in 2009 to track them. The unit has performed more than 12,000 inspections at sites throughout the city, according to an article in ENR New York.

  The good news is that many of the projects throughout the New York area are being reinvigorated. For instance, on 9th Avenue between 33rd and 31st Streets a large mixed used project is starting to go forward. Another is the $1 billion, 39-story 250 W. 55th St. commercial tower in midtown Manhattan that Boston Properties is building.

  Also, in New Jersey, the Xanadu project in the Meadowlands and the Revel Casino in Atlantic City. This is good news for our friends in the construction trades.

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