You showed up on site, as you did every day of your career, to a familiar scene of scaffolding, steel beams, concrete slabs, and other necessary hazards. But this time, your day didn’t end as it typically does. This time, you were hurt on the job.
As an older construction worker, you know your body doesn’t bounce back like it used to. If you’ve been injured on site, you need reliable guidance now. That’s where the experienced construction accident team at Hofmann & Schweitzer stands ready to help you. Our New York and New Jersey construction accident lawyers have been helping injured people since 1977. You’re not alone. Recovery is possible, and you have options.
Why Age Matters on New York and New Jersey Construction Sites
Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, nearly one-fifth of all workplace fatalities occurred in the construction industry in 2023. For workers aged 65 and older, the rate of fatal work injuries was about 20.0 per 100,000 full-time equivalents in 2023, the highest of any age group.
Age brings some advantages on construction sites. Older construction workers may:
- Have more experience
- Be more willing to listen to supervisors
- Be less likely to take unnecessary risks.
However:
- Physical demands don’t ease with age. Heavy lifting, awkward postures, and repetitive tasks remain risks and pose a greater risk for an aging body.
- Fall risks remain high. Falls from heights and being struck by objects remain significant risks, regardless of age.
Older workers often suffer more severe injuries and take longer to heal than younger workers.
How Older Construction Workers Can Stay Safe
To reduce the odds of serious injury, older workers can:
- See a doctor. Make sure you’re cleared medically for heavy lifting and strenuous tasks.
- Prioritize body mechanics. Use lifts, avoid twisting under load, and bend your knees when lifting to minimize the risk of injury.
- Focus on fall prevention. Falls remain the leading cause of death in construction. Use proper fall‑protection gear, maintain clean work areas, and always secure scaffolding or ladders.
- Communicate and delegate. If a task feels too risky, speak up. Your experience counts.
No matter how careful you are, accidents still happen. If you’re hurt, it’s essential to know what to do next to protect your rights.
What to Do Immediately After a Construction Injury
As soon as possible after a construction accident injury, it’s essential to:
- Report the injury. Inform your supervisor immediately to document your claim.
- Seek medical evaluation. It’s important to get medical attention, even if the injury seems minor. Older workers may face hidden complications.
- Preserve evidence. Photographs of the site, the hazard, the tools, or the equipment involved may help support your claim.
- Document your recovery path. Keep records of doctor visits, therapy sessions, missed shifts, out-of-pocket expenses, and other relevant evidence or costs.
After that, it is important to consult an experienced construction accident lawyer.
Why Legal Guidance Matters
When age is a factor, there may be a longer recovery time, higher medical expenses, and potential permanent impairment.
The law firm of Hofmann & Schweitzer represents older construction workers in New York and New Jersey who’ve been injured on the job. For example, we secured $1,780,000 for a 60-year-old construction worker who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), a foot fracture, and a vertebral compression fracture after a concrete plank fell on her on a New York City high-rise construction site.
Working with a qualified New York construction accident lawyer or a New Jersey construction accident attorney means you can focus on healing while they handle liability, fault, and compensation issues.
Your Path Forward and Next Steps
You’ve built your life on hard work, grit, and resilience. A job‑site injury doesn’t erase that. Instead, it’s the moment to shift from building structures to rebuilding your strength and security.
If you’ve been hurt and you’re an older construction worker in New York or New Jersey, you can:
- Act fast. Time matters. Report the injury, get medical attention, and consult a lawyer.
- Choose a lawyer knowledgeable about older‑worker issues. Not all injury attorneys understand the unique risks and losses that older construction workers face. For example, preexisting conditions may complicate your recovery and be misused by insurers to limit compensation, you may have a shorter remaining work‑life span, meaning lost wages may be greater even with fewer years left to work, and you may face increased medical risks and longer rehabilitation, which drive up costs and need for full compensation.
- Protect your long-term well-being. Legal compensation is about more than today’s bills. It’s about securing your future when your body may no longer bounce back the way it once did.
When you partner with a dedicated attorney at Hofmann & Schweitzer, you’re working with a guide who knows construction accidents inside and out.
