Steelworkers and ironworkers face one of the most physically challenging and dangerous occupations in the United States. Iron and steelworkers frequently work at heights and face toxic exposure. Steel and ironworkers have the 7th-deadliest job in the United States as well as one of the highest injury rates.
Are you an iron or steelworker who has suffered a work-related injury? Recovering full compensation for your injuries and losses can be a challenge without skilled representation. Goidel & Siegel Injury Lawyers will put more than 30 years of experience to work on your behalf.
Steelworkers and ironworkers face a dangerous environment every day. Whether the work is done in a tunnel, workshop, or construction site, there are many unique risks. Workers may work in poorly ventilated spaces and face exposure to toxic fumes. They may work at great heights with the risk of falling.
Common types of accidents involving steel and iron work include:
The nature of iron and steelwork itself is one of the greatest dangers. Steel and ironworkers must use heavy equipment to cut through columns, panels, and bars and weld metal. This work is often performed at job sites where they must work from a height or in a confined space with little ventilation or lighting.
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Steelworkers is a union affiliated with AFL-CIO. They list the following as the main causes of injuries and fatalities among iron and steelworkers:
These are only some of the ways in which steel and ironworkers may be hurt on the job. Welding injuries, hearing loss, traumatic amputation, and burns are also common.
Steel and iron work accidents may happen due to simple carelessness. They can also be the result of improper use of equipment. In many cases, accidents are the result of failures by others. Inadequate supervision and training, failing to maintain a safe worksite, and defective equipment may be to blame. Sometimes the negligence of another worker, supervisor, or contractor is ultimately to blame for hazards at the site that cause a fall, electric shock, or exposure.
Goidel & Siegel is proud to represent ironworker union members who have suffered a serious accident on the job. We will investigate your accident to determine how it happened and explore all avenues to pursue the full compensation you deserve.
It depends on the circumstances surrounding your accident. People who may be held liable for your injuries could include your employer, a negligent supervisor, an equipment operator, the contractor, the property owner, or the manufacturer or seller of faulty equipment.
Since each case is different, you should contact the experienced New York iron and steelworker lawyers at Goidel & Siegel for a free consultation. We’ll figure out who may be held liable for your injuries and we may be able to get you compensation.
Depending on the nature of your accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation from multiple sources for your injuries.
The primary form of compensation for steelworker accidents in New York is the workers’ compensation system. This no-fault system allows you to seek benefits for your medical bills, lost wages, and more for a work-related illness or injury. You do not need to prove negligence, but benefits are capped and you generally cannot sue your employer or coworkers for additional damages.
We will explore whether you are entitled to seek additional compensation beyond workers’ comp. If a negligent third party caused your accident, you may have a personal injury case that allows you to seek the full value of your lost wages as well as pain, suffering, anguish, distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
New York Labor Law also offers additional protection for construction workers. Owners and general contractors can be held liable for violations of labor laws that contributed to your accident.
If you have a third-party injury claim or Labor Law claim, it will not affect your workers’ compensation benefits.
After an iron or steelworker accident, you should take the following steps for the best chances of receiving compensation for your injuries:
At Goidel & Siegel, we’ll do whatever it takes to get you the money you deserve for your accident. Companies know we won't hesitate to go to trial, so they take us seriously. We often won’t need to take your case to trial, but it works to your benefit that insurance companies know we won’t hesitate to go to court if necessary.
Goidel & Siegel is proud to represent injured steelworkers in New York. If you have suffered an injury on the job, we will help you pursue the compensation you deserve through workers’ compensation as well as a personal injury claim and/or Labor Law claim. Our multilingual trial lawyers have decades of experience at the negotiation table and in the courtroom.
Contact our law office today to schedule a free consultation with a New York steelworker accident lawyer prepared to fight for you.
Since the modern metal of choice is steel, ironworkers are sometimes referred to as steelworkers, but both terms mean the same thing. However, there are two different types of ironworkers or steelworkers:
While your employer is ultimately responsible for your safety, there are many things you as a steelworker can do to stay safe on the job, including:
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the top 4 causes of construction fatalities are:
Known as the “fatal four,” these 4 types of construction accidents account for more than half of all workplace deaths in the construction industry.
While it’s difficult to find statistics on how often iron or steelworkers fall, the fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) was 32.5 in 2020.
If you were injured or your loved one was killed in a fall, schedule a free consultation with the New York iron and steelworker injury lawyers at Goidel & Siegel today.
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