Brooklyn Construction Accident Lawyer – Protecting Workers in Kings County
Brooklyn is in the middle of a construction boom that shows no signs of slowing down. From the glass towers transforming Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg to the wave of new residential development in Crown Heights, Bushwick, and beyond, construction sites are everywhere in Kings County. And with that volume of construction comes a sobering reality: Brooklyn workers are getting hurt, and they deserve powerful legal representation.
If you were injured on a Brooklyn construction site, New York’s Labor Law provides you with some of the strongest worker protections in the country. Jason Linden at Linden Law is here to enforce them on your behalf.
Call (212) 804-8440 for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.
Brooklyn’s Construction Landscape
Brooklyn’s construction boom spans multiple sectors and neighborhoods:
Downtown Brooklyn has seen explosive high-rise development in the area surrounding the Fulton Street Mall and Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park – a major mixed-use development with multiple residential towers, ongoing commercial construction, and a sprawling footprint that has employed thousands of construction workers over many years.
Williamsburg and Greenpoint have been transformed by luxury residential development, with numerous active high-rise and mid-rise projects along the waterfront and interior streets.
Crown Heights, Bushwick, and East New York are experiencing residential construction activity as development pressure spreads east. Smaller residential and mixed-use projects in these neighborhoods involve the same Labor Law obligations as major Manhattan towers.
Industrial Red Hook and the Brooklyn Navy Yard are active development and renovation zones with unique construction profiles involving industrial structures and adaptive reuse projects.
Brownstone renovation across Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill – gut renovations of Brooklyn’s iconic brownstones are a constant source of construction activity and, unfortunately, of construction accidents.
Labor Law §240 and §241: Your Most Powerful Legal Tools
Labor Law §240 – the Scaffold Law – imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker suffers a gravity-related injury. Falls from rooftops, scaffolding, ladders, and elevated floors; being struck by falling tools, materials, or debris – these are all covered. The property owner and GC cannot escape liability by arguing the worker contributed to the accident. This law is uniquely powerful.
Labor Law §241(6) creates liability when a worker is injured due to a violation of a specific Industrial Code provision. This covers a wide range of worksite conditions, from inadequate lighting and improper floor opening protection to the failure to provide non-slip surfaces in areas where workers are required to walk.
Labor Law §200 governs general negligence on the construction site – when the property owner or GC had control over the work or the condition that caused the injury.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Your Labor Law Claim
Many Brooklyn construction workers are aware of Workers’ Compensation – and that you cannot sue your direct employer. But the Labor Law creates a separate cause of action against the property owner and general contractor, who are typically different from your employer. You can receive Workers’ Comp benefits from your employer AND pursue a Labor Law lawsuit against the owner and GC simultaneously. These are separate legal claims, and pursuing both is standard practice in construction accident cases.
Where Brooklyn Construction Cases Are Filed
Brooklyn construction accident cases are filed in the New York Supreme Court, Kings County at 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. These cases often involve large real estate developers and their insurers represented by experienced defense firms. Jason Linden brings the preparation and trial readiness necessary to compete against well-resourced defendants in Kings County.
How We Serve Brooklyn Construction Workers
Our Manhattan office at 250 West 57th St., Suite 432 is accessible from Brooklyn by multiple subway lines. We offer phone and video consultations for injured workers who cannot travel, and we arrange in-person meetings wherever is most convenient for you. We serve construction workers throughout all Brooklyn neighborhoods and work sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Labor Law §240 and does it apply to my Brooklyn construction accident?
Labor Law §240 (the Scaffold Law) imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related construction injuries – falls from heights and being struck by falling objects. If you were working on a Brooklyn construction site, fell from a ladder, scaffold, or elevated surface, or were struck by a falling object because proper protection wasn’t provided, §240 likely applies. The owner and GC cannot defend themselves by saying you were careless.
I work for a subcontractor – can I still sue the general contractor?
Yes. The key defendants under Labor Law §240 and §241 are the property owner and the general contractor. Your direct employer (the subcontractor) is protected from suit by Workers’ Compensation law, but the owner and GC are not. You pursue Workers’ Comp from your employer and a Labor Law lawsuit against the owner/GC – both simultaneously.
What if my Brooklyn construction accident happened during a brownstone renovation?
Yes, brownstone renovations are fully covered by Labor Law §240 and §241. The owner of the brownstone – even a private individual who hired a contractor to renovate their home – can be liable under the Labor Law. There is a limited “single-family homeowner exception” under §240, but it does not apply if the homeowner used the property for commercial purposes or directed or controlled the work. We evaluate this issue carefully in every brownstone renovation case.
What evidence should I preserve after a Brooklyn construction accident?
Preserve everything you can: photographs of the accident scene and the condition that caused your injury, contact information for witnesses, any safety equipment (or lack thereof) at the scene, and your own clothing and gear. Report the accident to your supervisor and ensure a written accident report is made. Seek medical treatment immediately. Then call us – we move quickly to preserve additional evidence, including surveillance footage and OSHA accident records, before they are lost.
How long does a Brooklyn construction accident case take?
Construction accident cases are complex and typically take longer than standard personal injury cases – often one to three years from filing to resolution. The strength of Labor Law §240 claims means that many cases settle before trial, sometimes with significant pressure on the defense once liability is established. We pursue every case with the same preparation we would bring to trial, because that preparation is what drives favorable settlements.
No Fee Unless We Win
Linden Law handles all Brooklyn construction accident cases on a contingency fee basis. No upfront costs, no hourly rates, no fees unless we win.
Call (212) 804-8440 or contact us online for your free consultation.
Linden Law LLC | 250 West 57th St., Suite 432, New York, NY 10017