New York Meniscus Tear from a Construction Accident Attorney 

Construction accidents are a common occurrence in New York and across the country. According to statistics from the Bureau of Labor, each year there are almost 5,000 workplace fatalities with the construction field accounting from almost 20% of those deaths. Within construction, there are over 21,000 nonfatal injuries that are caused by just falls, slips, and trips. One of the most common injuries caused by a fall, slip, or trip is a meniscus tear from a construction accident in New York. Although safeguards are supposed to be in place to lower the risk of accidents, there are times when appropriate safeguards are not in place, leading to preventable injuries like a torn meniscus. Knee injuries can leave victims disabled, unable to work with financial, physical, and emotional losses. Our experienced construction accident lawyer in New York can help victims and their families who have suffered a meniscus tear on a job site.

Here at the O’Connor Law Firm, our bodily injury team understands that the many losses that victims face as a result of a knee injury caused by a construction accident, and are committed to helping victims recover the compensation they deserve for their losses. This includes compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages. Particularly in the case of an accident caused by a third-party, or if you were not a part of the construction crew that caused your injuries due to their negligence, victims may be entitled to considerable compensation for a meniscus tear from a construction accident in New York. To learn more, schedule a free case evaluation with our personal injury team today.

Knee Injuries Caused by Construction Accidents

As mentioned above, knee injuries are particularly common when a victim is injured in a construction accident. One of the most common types of knee injuries that can occur is a torn meniscus. The meniscus is a group of cartilage that keeps the area between the shin bone and thigh bone cushioned. A meniscus tear occurs when there is a forceful twisting or rotation of the knee. A torn meniscus injury is quite serious, often leaving victims with some degree of permanent damage from the injury.

Victims with a torn meniscus often present with pain, swelling, stiffness, difficulty walking, and impaired range of motion. Construction workers have a very labor intensive job. This type of injury can lead to impaired mobility, imposed restrictions on lifting and carrying due to their injury, and the potential for re-injury or aggravation of their symptoms even if a victim does recover from their injury.

Treatment for a Torn Meniscus Injury

The treatment for a torn meniscus injury largely depends on the severity of the injury. Often times, physicians will recommend more conservative treatment at first to see if the victim recovers without surgical intervention. Conservative treatment often includes rest, ice, medications, and physical therapy.

For some victims, conservative treatment does not heal their injury. During this time, victims are left unable to work, causing a loss of income on top of the medical bills they face as a result of their injury. When conservative treatment is unsuccessful, surgery is often required. For some victims, surgery can repair the torn meniscus, but it is not always successful. Other victims may require a knee replacement or a meniscus transplant.

Damages for Victims Who Suffer a Torn Meniscus in a Construction Accident

Victims who are wrongly injured in a construction accident may be entitled to damages for their injuries. Damages are typically awarded in the form of compensation. Common damages that victims may be entitled to after this type of injury and accident include the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages and lost future earnings
• Medical bills
• Physical therapy and occupational therapy needs
• Medication costs
• Assistive devices, if needed (i.e. crutches or wheelchair for certain cases)
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages in rare but exceptional cases, and
• Other damages for victims who suffer a torn meniscus as a result of a construction accident in New York.

Who May Recover Compensation in a Construction Accident Case? 

With any construction accident case, you will need to overcome the hurdle of workers’ compensation. Under New York, workers’ compensation is an exclusive remedy. That means if you are injured in a construction accident, you’ll need to establish that it was not caused by your employer or co-worker, or inherent to your work. Rather, you’ll need to establish that it was a third-party’s fault.

This can be achieved in several ways. For example, if you are a roofer but the framing contractors improperly framed the roof and caused it to collapse, you may have a negligence claim against them. The same is true if you were working on a ladder and an inspector for the town came back and accidently backed into the ladder, causing you to fall.

When it comes to a meniscus tear from a construction accident in New York, you will likely have a claim against a defendant for not properly cleaning up his or her workplace. When a defendant fails to keep a clean and orderly work environment, that can be a violation of the Labor Law and the applicable regulations, resulting in liability against the defendant. This common occurs with framers or stonemasons who may be slow to clean up their work, sometimes causing falls, slips, or trips which could injury a workers’ meniscus.

If You Have a Meniscus Tear From a Construction Accident in New York, You Have to Call the O’Connor Law Firm

A meniscus tear can spell disaster for a construction worker. Even if it is properly repaired, a worker may still have pain, range of motion restrictions, and may even lose strength. Victims may be forced to not work in construction anymore because it may cause instability and injury. Workers may also be forced to stop working early because of arthritis in the knee due to the trauma and damage, which also could be a factor in future damages.

That’s why, if you suffered a meniscus tear from a construction accident in New York, you need experienced construction accident lawyer at the O’Connor Law Firm to help you recover compensation. We handle catastrophic injury cases throughout New York, specifically in the New York City and Long Island region of the state, including Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, and in surrounding areas. If you were hurt in a construction accident, we can help you.

To learn more about our personal injury law firm, call to schedule FREE consultation today. We offer free consultations and we only get paid after you recover compensation in your case. To learn more, schedule your appointment by dialing (718) 948-3500 or send us an email through our “Contact Us” box available here.