Ladder Accidents

(We have other offices throughout Upstate, New York)

As a construction worker or visitor to a construction site, there are many kinds of ladders you may encounter. Ladders may be extension ladders, rolling safety ladders, A-Frame ladders, and step ladders. Each may have certain rules of use. There may be specific rules on which workers are trained in connection with set up and safe use of a particular type of ladder. However, ladder accidents do occur, and serious injuries may be the consequence. If you were injured in a ladder accident, you should call the seasoned Syracuse construction accident lawyers of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Attorneys. We've sought the best results for injured construction workers and visitors to property for more than 30 years and have a record of success.

Use of ladders is common at Syracuse construction sites. The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires ladders to be used when there is an elevation of 19 inches or more at a work site. In addition, ladders must be maintained and inspected. Ladder accidents can be the result of an unsecured ladder on an unstable or slippery surface, a ladder loaded beyond its capacity, oil or grease on the ladder that results in slipping, a ladder set up where conductive rails could be exposed to electricity, unevenly spaced rungs, or placement of a ladder in a passageway where it's likely to be shifted.

Construction workers, unlike some other workers, have special protections in the event that they are injured on a construction site. They are entitled to sue a contractor or property owner when not given safe condition or equipment, including ladders.

New York Labor Law section 240(1), also known as the Scaffold Law, applies to protect workers engaged in demolition, cleaning, erection of the structure, altering, painting, pointing, or repairing. It also protects workers engaged in erecting scaffolding, braces, and ladders. With certain exceptions, under the Scaffold Law, you may be able to hold a contractor or property owner absolutely liable for falls from heights, whether you are injured because of something falling from a ladder or because you fell from the ladder.

The law requires property owners and contractors to provide ladders when they are needed to give construction worker employees appropriate protection onsite. Additionally, employers are supposed to provide safety and fall protection equipment like harnesses and body belts; different rules apply to the ladders used to mount or dismount from scaffolds. If you were injured because of a violation of section 240(1), our ladder accident lawyers may be able to hold the contractor or property owner at the site responsible.

Our lawyers will also look at whether there is liability under Labor Law 241, which specifies that certain safety requirements for construction sites aside from falls from heights should be followed. These detailed requirements are set forth under Part 23, which is put forward by the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor. For example, under section 23-1.21,

every ladder at a construction site is supposed to be able to withstand at least 4 times the maximum load intended to be put there without breaking, dislodging, or losing that component.

Our construction accident lawyers may be able to bring a lawsuit on your behalf if you were injured due to Part 23 violations regarding how a construction site was equipped, constructed, guarded, or arranged, or when no safety equipment, such as harnesses or hard hats, or inadequate safety equipment, was provided. Unlike with a violation of section 240(1), a violation of section 241(6) doesn't result in absolute liability, which means your comparative negligence may become an issue, and legal counsel is crucial.

If you need to seek legal representation because you were injured in a ladder accident, give the tenacious Syracuse construction accident lawyers of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Attorneys a call. We seek best results for victims and their families in Oswego, Canandaigua, Lowville, Rochester, Utica, Cooperstown Auburn, Ithaca, Watertown, Herkimer, Wampsville, Lyons, Oneida, Binghamton, Elmira, Buffalo, Albany, and all of Upstate New York. Complete our online form or call us at 833-200-2000 for a free consultation.