Two workers were seriously injured in a construction site collapse on Friday, July 30, 2021. The incident occurred at 439 Lincoln Road in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn, where a two-story building was to be demolished and turned into a five-story building.
The construction workers were performing demolition work on the second floor when at around 1:12 p.m., a brick wall collapsed and fell on the two workers. Part of the roof also collapsed as well. According to NBC New York, the workers were trapped for over an hour before they were pulled out of the debris by firefighters. The rescuers had to shore up the building before they were able to free the victims.
The victims were then rushed to Kings County Hospital with serious injuries. Thankfully, they are now reported to be in stable condition. We wish both workers a complete and speedy recovery after this harrowing incident.
A full stop order has been issued for the location, and more investigation is needed to determine the cause of the accident. Building collapses can often result in serious – and sometimes deadly – injuries, which is why it’s crucial that the right safety protocol be implemented at all times during a construction site project. There are multiple reasons why a partial or full building collapse may occur. These include but are not limited to: improper demolition procedures, badly-placed construction materials compromising the structural integrity of the building, foundation failures, and deteriorating structural elements.
The personal injury attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy have represented hundreds of workers injured in construction site accidents, including those involving building collapses. Our law firm has the best track record in construction accident lawsuits in New York; most notably, our results include a $110 million record-breaking jury verdict in a Brooklyn construction accident case. In 2020 alone, we recovered the top three construction accident settlements in Northeastern United States. Our lawyers are ready and willing to help construction workers understand their legal rights in the aftermath of a serious accident.
Select results in construction site collapse cases include:
- $4,995,000 settlement for a 37-year-old construction worker who fell approximately 20 feet to the ground after the floor collapsed beneath him, causing him to suffer multiple serious fractures requiring surgery
- $4,475,000 settlement in a tragic wrongful death case after an ironworker was killed in a partial building collapse. The 34-year-old worker was a beloved husband and father to two young children. The case settled for $4.475 million, and the settlement funds were placed in a structured annuity which will pay his children approximately $22 million over their lifetimes.
- $3,250,000 settlement in a Brooklyn case for a laborer who fell when the floor beneath him collapsed, leaving him with severe injuries to his knee and shoulders
- $2,600,000 settlement for a worker who was working on the second floor of a building during a demolition project when the floor suddenly collapsed beneath him. He fell and was buried underneath slabs of concrete and debris before being rescued by firefighters.
To speak with an attorney qualified in litigating construction accident lawsuits, please call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form, and one of our lawyers will reach out to you shortly.