New York Personal Injury Law Blog

3 common causes of crane accidents

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. on Monday, July 15, 2019.

Cranes collapsing may cause catastrophic injuries with deadly consequences. Construction sites often turn dangerous when a crane needs installation to assist with the project.

In New York, construction cranes are common around the city and the surrounding boroughs. Working on a high-rise building is all but impossible without the assistance of these heavy-lifting machines. Unfortunately, accidents happen around these sites, including these three common incidents that may lead to widespread pain and panic below.

Hearing loss can be caused by on-the-job noise

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Construction Accidents on Friday, July 12, 2019.

Have you noticed that everyone around you seems to be whispering instead of talking in normal conversational volumes? If so, you may have suffered hearing loss due to occupational exposure(s).

In some cases, a single event like an explosion or concussive blow to the head can cause immediate hearing loss. But, the more common scenario is that the hearing loss occurs gradually over the course of your employment. By the time it is noticeable to you and others, the damage is likely already permanent.

Do you worry when driving near large trucks?

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, July 5, 2019.

If your Fourth of July plans involved travel this year, chances are good that you encountered many large semitrucks on your route. Driving alongside one of those highway behemoths can be intimidating.

Below are some tips for sharing the roads safely with large, heavy trucks.

Be safe this Fourth of July in New York City

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Premises Liability on Friday, June 28, 2019.

New York City knows how to throw a party on the Fourth of July. There is always something going on over the long weekend celebration. No matter in which of the five boroughs of New York City where you live, there are fireworks, picnics, live music and fun activities for the kids and those who are young at heart.

But sometimes, with all of the fun, people get injured at Fourth of July celebrations. They may eat spoiled food and suffer gastrointestinal distress, get badly sunburned, drown or nearly drown in a pool, river or the ocean.

Trench collapses are some of the most dangerous accidents

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Construction Accidents on Friday, June 21, 2019.

If you work in construction here in New York City, it's likely that you have worked around, if not in, trenches. But did you realize that trench collapses are one of the deadliest types of accidents that can occur on construction sites?

Data supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that in a nine-year period during the last decade, there were on average 35 fatalities per year among those working around and in trenches.

Beware of the 100 deadly days of summer for your teens

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, June 14, 2019.

Parents of New York City teens who drive should realize that summer is a time of heightened risk for teenage drivers. Known as the "100 Deadliest Days," the months bookended by Memorial Day in May and Labor Day in September are the most dangerous time of the year for teens to be behind the wheel of a car.

In one recent year, there were 1,050 deaths of individuals who died in collisions that involved teenage drivers during this same period. Those statistics work out to 10 deaths a day when averaged. That's a 14% uptick when compared to other months of the year.

New deadline for mandatory construction safety training

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

As such a popular place for real estate, New York City always has construction going on. It usually entails massive properties, such as skyscrapers, with elaborate designs for aesthetic appeal. Even without new projects, construction companies will be busy getting existing buildings up to code for new emissions legislation. This means more construction workers' lives will be at risk, a serious problem that continues to plague the city.

The city responded by mandating safety training in 2017, Local Law 196, to increase prevention and decrease accidents. While it is not a perfect program, its goal is worthy. It has also recently gone through a change.

Your drug use could affect an on-the-job injury claim

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Construction Accidents on Friday, June 7, 2019.

If you get injured on the job, you can draw unemployment compensation benefits. Many workers in New York City take that as a given. But there are situations where an employee gets injured and their workers' comp benefits may be in jeopardy due to their own actions.

One of those possible scenarios is if the injured employee tests positive for drug use after the accident. Here's how a post-injury drug test could result in your being denied benefits.

Can you sue your homeowner's association?

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Premises Liability on Friday, May 31, 2019.

New York City residents often belong to homeowners' associations (HOA) or co-op boards in their communities. These organizations wield a great deal of power and control over the common areas of an apartment building or condominium. They can be responsible for enforcing the maintenance of certain areas within the shared grounds.

In exchange for this oversight, homeowners typically pay annual fees to the HOA that provide for the property's upkeep. But what happens if the HOA collects fees but fails to keep the property well-maintained?

Be safe this weekend on the highway

On behalf of Howard R. Sanders, Esq. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, May 24, 2019.

Where will you be spending your Memorial Day weekend this year? Will you be staying right here in New York City or be like the other nearly 43 million Americans who are kicking off Summer 2019 with a road trip?

If it's the latter choice, you must prepare yourself for the congested highways you will likely face.This year's travel predictions represent a 3.6% uptick over 2018 and also are on target to be the second highest year for traffic volume since 2000. Most travelers will take to the roads to reach their destinations, AAA predicts.