If you were hurt on a Brooklyn or Queens construction site, you have powerful legal protections under New York Labor Law. Construction work across Brooklyn, from Downtown Brooklyn high-rises and Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront projects to Gowanus redevelopment, Pacific Park, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, BQE infrastructure work, Sunset Park, Industry City, and Red Hook waterfront sites, exposes workers to scaffold collapses, falls from heights, crane accidents, falling objects, electrical hazards, demolition injuries, and dangerous excavation conditions. Our Brooklyn construction accident attorneys help injured workers recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term disability through Labor Law 240, Labor Law 241(6), and third-party negligence claims.

Hofmann & Schweitzer's New York office is located at 212 W 35th St in Manhattan, close to Penn Station, but our attorneys represent injured construction workers throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and New Jersey. We have handled serious construction injury cases since 1977.

Whether you fell from scaffolding in Downtown Brooklyn, were struck by debris in Williamsburg, suffered a crane-related injury near Pacific Park, or were hurt during a Gowanus renovation or Brooklyn Navy Yard project, we understand the unique risks of Brooklyn construction work and the legal claims available to injured workers.

Please contact our office at 212-465-8840 for a FREE, personalized review of your case.

Free Brooklyn or Queens Construction Accident Consultation

Table of Contents:

What to Do After a Brooklyn or Queens Construction Accident

Critical Steps to Protect Your Rights

  1. Get immediate medical care. Your health comes first, and prompt medical records create essential documentation of your injuries.Brooklyn construction site accident injury
  2. Report the accident in writing. Notify your foreman or supervisor and request a copy of any incident report. Avoid recorded statements or written accounts of fault.
  3. Preserve the scene. Take photos of the scaffold, ladder, hoist, crane, debris, floor opening, sidewalk shed, trench, or surrounding conditions. Brooklyn job sites change quickly, and evidence often disappears within days.
  4. Identify witnesses. Collect names, phone numbers, employers, and union affiliations of coworkers who saw what happened. Crews and subcontractors often rotate between Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Gowanus, and waterfront projects.
  5. Do not sign anything from an insurance company. Carriers often approach injured workers with settlement offers before the full extent of injuries is known.
  6. Contact a Brooklyn and Queens construction accident attorney. Time-sensitive Notice of Claim deadlines may apply, especially if the site involves the City of New York, the MTA, NYCHA, or the Port Authority.

Understanding Your Rights as a Brooklyn or Queens Construction Worker

New York gives construction workers some of the strongest legal protections in the country. Unlike a typical workplace injury, a Brooklyn construction accident often gives rise to multiple overlapping claims:

  • Workers' compensation benefits for medical care and a portion of lost wages, regardless of fault
  • Labor Law 240 (Scaffold Law) claims against property owners and general contractors for fall-related and falling-object injuries
  • Labor Law 241(6) claims for Industrial Code violations
  • Labor Law 200 and common-law negligence claims for unsafe work conditions
  • Third-party claims against subcontractors, construction managers, equipment manufacturers, and other non-employer defendants

Acting quickly preserves all of these options. Our firm can investigate the site, send preservation letters, and protect your case from the day you call.

New York Labor Laws Protecting Brooklyn and Queens Construction Workers

Labor Law 240: The Scaffold Law

New York Labor Law 240, widely known as the Scaffold Law, imposes strict liability on Brooklyn property owners and general contractors when a construction worker is injured by an elevation-related hazard. This includes:

  • Falls from scaffolds, ladders, hoists, and roofs
  • Falls into open shafts, trenches, or floor openings
  • Injuries caused by falling tools, materials, or debris
  • Collapses of inadequately secured scaffolding

Under Labor Law 240, comparative negligence is not a defense. Even if you made a mistake on the job, you may still recover full damages if the owner or general contractor failed to provide proper safety devices.

Labor Law 241(6): Industrial Code Violations

Labor Law 241(6) protects Brooklyn construction workers when a specific Industrial Code provision is violated. Common violations on Brooklyn sites include unsecured planking, missing guardrails, inadequate fall protection, improper trench shoring, unsafe demolition practices, improper hoist operation, and failure to maintain safe walkways.

Labor Law 200 and General Negligence

Labor Law 200 codifies the common-law duty to provide a safe workplace. It applies when the owner or general contractor had authority to control the work or actual notice of a dangerous condition. Brooklyn high-rise projects, waterfront redevelopment, infrastructure work, and renovation jobs often involve overlapping Labor Law 200 and 241(6) claims because so many subcontractors work in tight spaces under compressed schedules.

Premises Liability for Brooklyn Construction Sites

When an unsafe condition on the property itself causes injury, a separate premises liability claim may apply, holding the landowner accountable for failing to maintain reasonably safe conditions.

Common Brooklyn and Queens Construction Accidents We Handle

Scaffold and Ladder Falls

Scaffolding and sidewalk sheds line streets across Brooklyn, from Atlantic Avenue brownstones and Downtown Brooklyn towers to Williamsburg new construction and Gowanus redevelopment. When that scaffolding gives way, the results are catastrophic. Our firm secured a $1.9 million settlement for a painter injured in a Brooklyn high school scaffolding collapse. Scaffold collapse claims often involve missing planking, defective frames, improper anchoring, or failure to tie scaffolds to the building.

Falls From Heights

Roof work, leading-edge construction, and structural steel erection put Brooklyn workers at significant fall-from-height risk. Personal fall arrest systems, guardrails, and safety nets are required by OSHA and Labor Law, yet missing or improperly anchored equipment remains a leading cause of catastrophic injury. Brooklyn construction scaffolding safety

Falling Object and Struck-By Accidents

On busy Brooklyn job sites, unsecured tools, bricks, rebar, and equipment regularly fall from upper floors. Struck-by accidents are a leading cause of construction fatalities and often qualify under Labor Law 240's falling-object provision.

Crane and Heavy Equipment Accidents

Tower cranes, mobile cranes, boom trucks, forklifts, hoists, and material lifts are common on Brooklyn projects where loads must move vertically and streets are crowded with workers, pedestrians, and deliveries. When operators are undertrained, loads exceed capacity, or equipment fails, the consequences are devastating. Crane accidents can also injure bystanders and pedestrians blocks away from the site.

Electrical Injuries

Live wires, ungrounded tools, and exposed conduit cause severe burns, cardiac injuries, and electrocution. Our electrical accident attorneys regularly investigate code violations and third-party liability against electrical subcontractors.

Trench and Excavation Collapses

Brooklyn's aging utility infrastructure and ongoing waterfront development mean frequent trench work. OSHA-mandated shoring, sloping, and benching are too often skipped. Collapse and shifting-surface injuries are often fatal.

Forklift, Hoist, and Material Handling Accidents

Tipovers, struck-by injuries, and crush injuries from forklift accidents on Brooklyn loading docks and material storage areas often involve untrained operators or defective equipment.

Repetitive Motion and Cumulative Injuries

Not every construction injury is sudden. Repetitive motion injuries, joint injuries, and respiratory ailments develop over years of Brooklyn job-site exposure and remain compensable.

High-Risk Brooklyn or Queens Construction Zones

Brooklyn construction is not limited to one skyline or one type of project. The borough includes high-rise residential towers, waterfront redevelopment, warehouse conversions, transit work, highway rehabilitation, shipyard and industrial projects, school construction, public housing repairs, and constant facade work on older buildings. Each setting creates different risks for workers, especially when owners, general contractors, construction managers, or subcontractors fail to follow New York safety rules.

Downtown Brooklyn High-Rises

The skyline around Flatbush Avenue Extension, Fulton Street, Court Street, Jay Street, and the MetroTech area has transformed dramatically over the past decade. Downtown Brooklyn's high-rise residential and mixed-use projects rely on tower cranes, suspended scaffolds, hoists, curtain wall installation, steel work, concrete pours, and tight material staging. Each adds elevation-related risk for the workers building and renovating these structures.

Williamsburg and Greenpoint Waterfront

The Williamsburg and Greenpoint waterfront remains one of Brooklyn's most active development corridors. Projects around Kent Avenue, Wythe Avenue, the Domino Sugar refinery redevelopment, Greenpoint Landing, and nearby East River parcels create a constant pipeline of residential towers, commercial buildouts, and waterfront infrastructure. Curtain wall installation, hoist work, crane lifts, rooftop work, and material staging near the water present unique fall, struck-by, and falling-object hazards.

Gowanus Canal Redevelopment

Gowanus has become one of Brooklyn's biggest construction stories following the neighborhood rezoning. Large residential projects, canal-side development, environmental remediation, utility work, and infrastructure upgrades create overlapping risks for laborers, electricians, plumbers, equipment operators, and concrete workers. Gowanus job sites can involve excavation, pile driving, contaminated soil, heavy truck traffic, and work near the canal, making site control and safety planning especially important.

DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights Conversions

Historic warehouse-to-residential conversions in DUMBO and limestone restoration in Brooklyn Heights involve facade work, masonry repointing, rooftop access, sidewalk sheds, window replacement, and interior demolition. Older buildings and narrow streets make these projects especially dangerous when scaffolds, ladders, debris netting, or fall protection are not properly installed.

Pacific Park, Atlantic Yards, and Prospect Heights

The ongoing Pacific Park and Atlantic Yards development around Barclays Center, Prospect Heights, Atlantic Avenue, and Flatbush Avenue has generated years of major construction activity. Tower cranes, deck work, concrete operations, falling debris, truck traffic, and active pedestrian corridors create risk for both workers and bystanders. Multi-phase projects like these often involve many contractors and subcontractors, making it critical to identify every responsible party after an injury.

Brooklyn Navy Yard

The Brooklyn Navy Yard remains one of the most active industrial, manufacturing, and shipyard complexes in New York. Dry dock work, ship repair, warehouse conversions, rooftop installations, manufacturing buildouts, and adjacent construction projects expose workers to overlapping maritime and construction risks, an area where our firm has unique experience.

BQE Rehabilitation and Infrastructure

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway corridor touches some of Brooklyn's busiest construction areas, including Greenpoint, Williamsburg, the Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Red Hook, and Gowanus. BQE rehabilitation, bridge work, MTA subway maintenance, street reconstruction, DEP water and sewer projects, and other public infrastructure work place workers underground, at height, and adjacent to live traffic. Notice of Claim deadlines may apply when government agencies, transit authorities, or public benefit corporations are involved.

Sunset Park and Industry City

Sunset Park's industrial corridor, Industry City, and the South Brooklyn waterfront generate steady construction activity, including warehouse conversions, rooftop installations, dock work, loading operations, heavy material handling, and commercial renovations. Forklifts, hoists, trucks, cranes, and crowded loading areas can cause serious crush, struck-by, and fall injuries.

Red Hook Waterfront and Industrial Sites

Red Hook includes waterfront construction, warehouse work, port-related activity, resiliency projects, and utility work. Construction workers in this area may face risks from heavy equipment, uneven surfaces, water-adjacent work, storm-resiliency construction, and truck traffic near industrial sites.

Flatbush, Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick Development

Residential development, apartment renovations, school projects, mixed-use construction, and facade repairs continue across Flatbush, Crown Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Bushwick. These projects may not always look as large as waterfront towers, but ladder falls, scaffold accidents, electrical injuries, demolition accidents, and falling-object claims are common on neighborhood construction sites.

Compensation Available for Brooklyn and Queens Construction Injuries

Damages Available Under Labor Law Claims

Labor Law 240 and 241(6) claims allow Brooklyn construction workers to recover full damages, including:

  • Past and future medical expenses, including surgery, rehabilitation, and assistive devices
  • Past and future lost wages, including loss of earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional
  • Permanent disability and disfigurement damages
  • Loss of enjoyment of life for activities you can no longer perform
  • Loss of consortium for your spouse

Workers' Compensation Plus Third-Party Recovery

Brooklyn construction workers are typically eligible for workers' compensation through their employer and a separate third-party lawsuit against the property owner, general contractor, or other non-employer defendants. Coordinating these claims correctly is essential to avoid forfeiting benefits or settlement value.

Recent Construction Accident Results

Our firm has recovered substantial verdicts and settlements for injured New York construction workers, including:

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case turns on its own facts, evidence, and injuries. View our full construction accident case results to learn more.

How We Build Strong Brooklyn and Queens Construction Accident Cases

Immediate Site Investigation

Brooklyn construction sites move fast. Scaffolds come down, debris is cleared, and crews rotate within days. Our team works quickly to:

  • Photograph and document the accident location before conditions change
  • Obtain OSHA inspection records and DOB violation histories for the site
  • Identify all responsible parties, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and equipment manufacturers
  • Preserve physical evidence, including defective scaffolding components, harnesses, and tools
  • Locate and interview witnesses while memories remain fresh

Expert Investigation

Complex Brooklyn and Queens construction cases require specialized expert support:

  • Construction safety experts who evaluate OSHA and Industrial Code compliance
  • Structural engineers who analyze scaffold and equipment failures
  • Vocational economists who calculate lost earning capacity
  • Life care planners who project future medical needs for catastrophic injuries
  • Medical specialists who document the full extent of orthopedic, neurological, and spinal injuries

Strategic Litigation in Kings County Supreme Court

Brooklyn and Queens construction cases are typically filed in Kings County Supreme Court, a venue known for fair treatment of injured workers. Our attorneys have decades of experience appearing before Kings County judges and selecting Brooklyn juries who understand the local construction industry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brooklyn and Queens Construction Accidents

Can I sue if I was already getting workers' compensation for my construction injury?

Yes. Workers' compensation does not bar a third-party lawsuit against parties other than your direct employer. On Brooklyn and Queens construction sites, general contractors, property owners, subcontractors, and equipment manufacturers can be held liable separately. New York Labor Law 240 and 241(6) often allow injured workers to pursue full damages, including pain and suffering, on top of workers' compensation benefits.

How long do I have to file a construction accident claim?

Most personal injury claims in New York must be filed within three years of the accident. Claims against government entities, such as the City of New York, the MTA, or NYCHA, often require a Notice of Claim within 90 days and a lawsuit within one year and 90 days. Because deadlines vary by defendant, it is important to speak with a Brooklyn construction accident attorney as soon as possible.

What is New York Labor Law 240, and how does it apply?

Labor Law 240, often called the Scaffold Law, places strict liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker is injured in a fall from a height or by a falling object due to inadequate safety equipment. This applies whether you fell from a scaffold in Downtown Brooklyn, a ladder in Williamsburg, or were struck by debris on a Bushwick job site. Comparative negligence does not reduce recovery under Labor Law 240.

Can undocumented workers file a Brooklyn or Queens construction accident claim?

Yes. Immigration status does not bar an injured worker from pursuing a Labor Law 240 or 241(6) claim in New York. Brooklyn construction workers are protected regardless of citizenship status, and our firm represents injured workers without regard to immigration concerns.

Who can be held liable for a Brooklyn or Queens construction accident?

Multiple parties may be liable, including the property owner, general contractor, subcontractors, construction managers, architects, engineers, and equipment manufacturers. Identifying every responsible party is critical to recovering full compensation, and our Brooklyn construction injury attorneys investigate each site to uncover every viable defendant.

How much is a Brooklyn and Queens construction accident case worth?

Case value depends on the severity of your injuries, your lost wages, the cost of future medical care, and the strength of liability evidence. Our firm has recovered $1.9 million for a painter injured in a Brooklyn scaffolding collapse, $2.2 million for a fall from a building, and millions more in similar construction cases. Every case is unique, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Why Choose Hofmann & Schweitzer for Your Brooklyn or Queens Construction Accident Case

Decades of Brooklyn and Queens Construction Experience

Our attorneys have represented injured New York construction workers since 1977. We have tried Labor Law 240 cases to verdict, negotiated multi-defendant settlements, and built a reputation in Kings County for thorough preparation and aggressive advocacy.Hofmann and Schweitzer Brooklyn construction accident attorneys

Local Knowledge

We know the Brooklyn and Queens construction corridors where serious injuries happen: Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Gowanus, Pacific Park, Atlantic Avenue, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the BQE corridor, Sunset Park, Industry City, Red Hook, and neighborhood renovation sites across Flatbush, Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick. That local insight helps us identify owners, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, and Industrial Code violations more quickly.

Trial-Ready Representation

Insurance carriers settle cases for fair value when they know your attorney is prepared to try the case. Our firm prepares every construction accident case as if it will be tried in Kings County Supreme Court, which positions our clients for stronger settlements and verdicts.

No Fee Unless We Recover

We handle all construction accident cases on a contingency fee basis:

  • No upfront legal fees. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
  • Free case evaluation. Speak with an attorney at no cost and with no obligation.
  • We advance all litigation costs, including expert witness fees, deposition costs, and investigation expenses.
  • You owe nothing if we do not recover. No hidden charges or surprise invoices.

Contact Our Brooklyn Construction Accident Lawyers Today

Do not let insurance companies, employers, or general contractors limit what you are owed. New York Labor Law gives Brooklyn and Queens construction workers some of the strongest protections in the country, but those rights must be asserted promptly to be preserved.

Free Consultation With a Brooklyn Construction Accident Attorney

During your free consultation, our attorneys will:

  • Review the facts of your Brooklyn construction accident
  • Explain how Labor Law 240, 241(6), and 200 may apply to your injury
  • Identify every potentially liable party
  • Outline the compensation you may be entitled to recover
  • Answer your questions about deadlines, workers' compensation, and the litigation process

Two Convenient Offices Serving Brooklyn and the Surrounding Region

New York Office:
212 W 35th St, Fl 12
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-465-8840

New Jersey Office:
1130 US-202, Ste A7
Raritan, NJ 08869
Phone: 908-393-5662

We represent injured construction workers throughout Brooklyn, including Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Gowanus, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Red Hook, Sunset Park, Industry City, Park Slope, Bay Ridge, Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, Flatbush, Canarsie, Coney Island, and every neighborhood across Kings County.

Schedule Your Free Brooklyn Construction Accident Consultation