Queens Construction Accident Lawyer

Injured on a construction site in Queens, NY? Our experienced construction accident attorneys in Queens, New York will fight to get you compensation.

A serious injury on a Queens construction site puts your paycheck, your trade, and your family’s stability on the line all at once. Workers’ comp will cover a slice of that loss, but it will not cover the rest.

Most Queens job sites, from the high-rises climbing over Long Island City to the JFK terminal rebuilds and the sewer and water work across southeast Queens, involve a chain of owners, contractors, and equipment companies whose insurers are already working to close your claim fast and cheap.

At Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we represent injured construction workers across Queens and all five boroughs. Our Queens construction accident lawyers move quickly to lock down evidence, name every liable party, and use New York’s Labor Law, which gives injured workers some of the strongest leverage in the country, to build cases that insurers take seriously because they know we try them.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Is Workers’ Compensation Your Only Option After a Construction Accident?

Workers’ compensation pays your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, but it does not cover pain and suffering or future income loss. Critically, it also bars you from suing your direct employer, but it does not protect every other company on that job site.

If the property owner, general contractor, subcontractor, or equipment manufacturer contributed to your accident, you can file a third-party claim, a separate lawsuit that pursues everything workers’ comp leaves behind.

	Workers’ Compensation	Third-Party Lawsuit
Medical Bills	✔ Covered	✔ Covered
Lost Wages	✔ Partial, Capped	✔ Full Amount
Pain & Suffering	✗ Not Covered	✔ Covered
Future Earning Loss	✗ Not Covered	✔ Covered

Who Is Liable for Your Queens Construction Accident?

Liability rarely ends with your employer. Large Queens projects, such as the towers rising in Long Island City, the Willets Point redevelopment, and infrastructure work near JFK, involve layers of companies, each carrying independent safety obligations.

Parties our Queens construction accident attorneys investigate and pursue include:

• Property owners and developers.

• General contractors and construction managers.

• Subcontractors from other trades operating on the site.

• Equipment manufacturers and rental companies.

• Government agencies such as the Port Authority and NYC.

We work fast to identify every responsible party before contractors leave the site and evidence is lost.

What New York Labor Laws Protect Construction Workers?

New York law includes statutes that protect construction workers who are injured on the job. Each applies to different accident types and holds different parties accountable.

Labor Law 240: Falls and Falling Objects

Labor Law 240, known as the Scaffold Law, requires property owners and general contractors to provide proper safety devices for construction, demolition, and repair work performed at heights. When a scaffold fails, a ladder slides, or an unsecured load strikes you from above, the owner and contractor are strictly liable. That means they cannot point to your own actions to escape responsibility.

Labor Law 241(6): Industrial Code Violations

Labor Law 241(6) holds owners and contractors responsible when construction, excavation, or demolition work violates a specific rule in the New York State Industrial Code, the detailed safety regulations governing job sites. If a code violation caused your injury, you have a claim. Unlike Labor Law 240, partial fault can reduce your recovery, but it does not eliminate it.

Labor Law 200: Unsafe Work Conditions

Labor Law 200 is New York’s general workplace safety statute. It holds owners and contractors liable when they create or allow a dangerous condition, or when they direct work in a way that injures someone. Our injury attorneys in Queens apply this law when the facts of your accident fall outside the narrower protections of 240 or 241(6).

One pattern we consistently see in Queens Labor Law cases is that the general contractor’s first defense is to blame a subcontractor or call the injured worker the sole cause of the fall. On large projects in Long Island City and at the JFK redevelopment, the site safety plans filed with the Department of Buildings and the daily logs kept by site safety managers often show exactly who was responsible for ladders, tie-off points, and edge protection.

We demand those records early, because they frequently undercut the sole cause argument before it gains traction.

What Construction Accidents Do We Handle in Queens?

We represent workers injured by every type of safety failure on a Queens job site, from defective equipment to site-wide management negligence.

Falls from Scaffolds, Ladders, Roofs, and Openings

A scaffold plank that shifts, a ladder never secured to the structure, an open roof edge with no guardrail. These are violations, not accidents. We immediately preserve inspection records, maintenance logs, and site photographs before anything is removed or altered.

Falling Objects and Equipment Strikes

Unsecured tools, steel beams, hoisted loads, and moving equipment like cranes and forklifts cause catastrophic injuries that should never happen. We pull rigging plans, crane logs, and delivery schedules to establish exactly who failed to control the hazard.

Electrical Accidents, Fires, and Explosions

Exposed wiring, ungrounded power tools, and failed lockout/tagout procedures, the process of de-energizing equipment before work begins, cause severe burns, electrocutions, and explosions on sites that cut corners on safety. We retain experts to identify every party who controlled the hazard.

Trench, Floor, Wall, and Structural Collapses

Contractors who skip shoring or trench boxes to save time put lives at risk. We pursue cases involving demolition failures, unsupported excavations, and any collapse driven by a failure to meet basic safety standards.

What Injuries Qualify for a Construction Accident Claim?

Any injury that affects your ability to work and live your life warrants a full legal investigation. We handle:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and skull fractures.

• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis.

• Broken bones and fractures requiring surgery.

• Crush injuries and internal organ damage.

• Amputations and permanent nerve damage.

• Severe burns and permanent scarring.

• Wrongful death.

Even injuries that appear manageable at first can develop into permanent, disabling conditions. See a doctor immediately and get your injuries documented before an insurer can argue your condition was minor.

What to Do After a Queens Construction Accident

Step 1: Seek Medical Care and Report the Accident

Go to the emergency room or urgent care right away, even if your injuries feel manageable. Tell your treating physician your injury occurred at work, and report the accident to your supervisor in writing as soon as possible to protect your workers’ compensation eligibility.

Step 2: Document Everything Before It Disappears

Photograph the scene, the equipment involved, and your visible injuries before anything is moved or cleaned up. Get witness names and contact information, and keep every medical record, bill, and pay stub. This is the evidentiary foundation of your claim.

Step 3: Call Us Before Speaking to Any Insurer

Do not give a recorded statement to the property owner’s insurance company, and do not sign any documents they send you. Call Grigor Law at (718) 249-7447 first. If your injuries prevent you from traveling, we will send an attorney directly to your home or hospital.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

A successful third-party lawsuit pursues two categories of damages:

• Special damages: Your full medical expenses, future treatment and rehabilitation costs, and the complete wages you lost, not the partial, capped workers’ comp amount.

• General damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, permanent disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and the impact your injuries have had on your family.

In fatal cases, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim to recover lost financial support, funeral expenses, and loss of companionship.

What we see across the construction injury claims we handle in Queens is that the workers’ comp lien and the future wage calculation drive the real value of a settlement as much as the headline number.

A union carpenter or ironworker hurt on a Long Island City tower may lose decades of scale wages, pension credits, and annuity contributions, and defense economists routinely leave those benefits out. Our Queens construction accident lawyers bring in vocational and economic experts who account for every part of the compensation package before we discuss any number with the insurer.

How Long Do You Have to File a Queens Construction Accident Claim?

In New York, the statute of limitations, the legal deadline to file, is generally three years from the date of your accident for a personal injury claim.

Claims involving government entities move on a much shorter timeline. If a public agency such as the City of New York, the Port Authority, or the MTA was involved, you must file a formal Notice of Claim within the agency’s required deadline. Failing to do so could bar your right to sue, so call us immediately if a public agency had any involvement in your project.

Why Queens Construction Workers Choose Grigor Law

Founded in 2015 by Chrissy Grigoropoulos, Esq., Grigor Law was built to fight for injured workers across New York City. Our offices in Ridgewood, The Bronx, and Hempstead put experienced attorneys within reach of clients throughout Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island.

Insurance companies negotiate differently when they know your lawyer will take a case to a jury, and ours will. We retain safety engineers, medical experts, vocational specialists, and economists to build cases that demand maximum compensation. Every case is handled on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing unless we win.

“I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the entire team at Grigoropoulos Law Group for all your hard work and dedication in successfully settling my third-party case. Your professionalism, guidance, and tireless efforts throughout this process gave me peace of mind and confidence every step of the way. I truly appreciate the time, care, and attention you put into my case.” – Miguel Acosta

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Workers’ Comp Lien Come Out of My Third-Party Settlement?

Yes, the workers’ compensation carrier has the right to be reimbursed from your third-party recovery, but we negotiate aggressively to reduce the lien amount so more money reaches you directly.

Can an Undocumented Worker File a Construction Accident Claim in New York?

Yes. Immigration status does not affect your right to pursue a personal injury or Labor Law claim in New York. All construction workers have the same legal protections.

Can I File a Claim If My Employer Called Me an Independent Contractor?

Possibly. We examine who directed your work, who supplied your tools, and who controlled the site. The label your employer assigns does not determine your legal rights.

What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Construction Accident?

Under Labor Law 240, your own conduct is almost always irrelevant and the owner and contractor remain fully liable. Under other claims, New York’s comparative negligence rule allows you to recover compensation even if you share some responsibility.

Can I Still File a Claim If the Construction Site Has Already Been Cleaned Up?

Yes, we subpoena OSHA investigation files, inspection logs, daily work records, and available surveillance footage to reconstruct what happened even after the scene has been cleared.

Will Grigor Law Come to Me If I Cannot Travel?

Yes. If your injuries prevent you from coming to our office, we send an attorney to your home, hospital, or any location throughout Queens, New York City, or Long Island.

Must I File a Notice of Claim Within 90 Days Against a City Agency?

Yes, and this deadline is strictly enforced. If the City of New York or another public entity covered by the General Municipal Law was involved in your construction site, a Notice of Claim generally must be filed within 90 days of your accident. Some agencies, such as the Port Authority, follow their own notice rules, so contact us immediately to protect this right.

Skilled Injury & Accident Law Firm in Queens, New York

Evidence at a Queens construction site can disappear within hours, and insurance companies move fast. Do not accept a settlement before you understand what your claim is truly worth.

Call Grigor Law at (718) 249-7447 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, we come to you when you cannot come to us, and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.