Industrial businesses are thriving in New York. Plants and the workers who run them are vital to the American way of life. You work in a profession that is key to the State’s economy. Day after day, you watch your hard work turn into completed projects.

Unfortunately, working in a plant or facility can be dangerous. You work in an industry that requires workers to work in potentially dangerous environments. It is not surprising that thousands of accidents and deaths occur every year due to serious safety issues on industrial sites.  

Industrial workers are part of America’s backbone, so when you are injured, the attorneys at Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr, PLLC are proud to step up and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Our personal injury lawyers know that industrial accident injuries are often severe and substantial. The physical, emotional, and financial toll can be devastating. The pain and trauma can be immense. Our personal injury lawyers will help you understand your rights and legal options. We will ensure the negligent parties involved are held accountable. And we will fight for the compensation you deserve – past, present, and future.

If you or someone you love have been injured in an industrial accident, let our personal injury lawyers help you.

Give us a call at (518) 855-3535 or use our Contact page to send us a secure message.

Common Causes of Industrial Accidents

• Chemical reactions of incompatible substances
• Dangerous work conditions
• Defective machinery and tools
• Electrocutions
• Elevator malfunctions
• Equipment malfunction
• Explosions
• Exposure to toxic chemicals and environmental hazards
• Falling objects and debris
• Falls from heights – catwalks, ladders, roofs, and buildings
• Fires and explosions
• Forklift incidents
• Gas exposure
• Heavy machinery accidents
• Improper cleanup and maintenance
• Inadequate safety and protective equipment
• Inadequate supervision
• Inadequate training
• Machine maintenance errors
• OSHA violations
• Rapid expansion of gas and leaks
• Safety code violations
• Slip and falls
• Smoke and toxic fume inhalation
• Spills
• Trip and falls
• Valve and pressure incidents
• Work vehicle accidents

Safety Issues in Industrial Plants

Industrial plants can be dangerous places if safety procedures, training, and checks and balances are not followed. However, some plants are poorly managed and even cut corners on safety. These shortcuts can cause injuries to workers, some catastrophic and even resulting in wrongful death.

What makes industrial plants a dangerous place? Well, many reasons including:

• The sheer number of workers – at any time, hundreds, even thousands, of workers and contractors can be working in a plant simultaneously. That is an abundance of activity, and a well-oiled workplace must be in place to avoid accidents.  
• The training required – even in the best managed facility, it takes just one employee to create a dangerous condition for everyone.
• The focus required – again, it only takes one inattentive person to create havoc.
• The revolving door of workers – many times, there are workers on site who are new, temporary, or on contract and are less familiar with the systems, procedures, protocols, and training required, putting others at risk.
• The type of work – even the best run plants can be a dangerous place if proper precautions are not taken.
• The exposure to heavy machinery and toxic substances – this alone can make a plant an inherently dangerous place.

Can You Sue for an Industrial Accident in New York?

It depends, but often yes.  

The laws in New York that are designed to protect workers are complex. Often, industrial accident victims are confused about what steps to take after an accident. You may think that workers’ compensation is your only option. That is not always the case, and you should not deal with your construction injury claim alone.

The compensation that you may collect through a personal injury lawsuit may be greater than the money you could obtain from workers’ compensation benefits. For example, payment for pain and suffering may be available through a personal injury lawsuit but not through a workers’ compensation claim. Let us help you find the cause of your construction accident, so the responsible parties can be identified and held accountable.

You should contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Do not wait. You may also be offered a quick lump-sum settlement. That money is not likely the fair value of your injuries. You want an attorney to identify the responsible parties, and help you recover all your damages – past, present, and future pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages. Call us for a free consultation and valuation of your claim.

Why Choose MCLC as Your Industrial Accident Lawyer?

As an industrial worker, we know how hard you work, and we make it our personal mission to earn your respect with our industry experience and exhaustive preparation. Whenever you need us, we will be at your side – on site, in the field, at the negotiation table, or in the courtroom.

Our attorneys have a long history of representing the industrial industry through a myriad of legal issues. We routinely represent clients in matters arising out of workplace claims.

With our vast industry experience from both sides of the table, we can uncover what other firms cannot see, advocating for you from start to finish. And, while our credentials speak to one side of our success, it is our down-to-earth approach and straightforward communication style that has built long-lasting relationships with our clients.

As your personal injury lawyer, we know all the laws that pertain to your case, particularly Labor Laws. We exhaustively document and investigate all your accident damages, including your full medical costs. We work closely with our clients, listening to your side of the story, and negotiate tirelessly on your behalf. Finally, we understand the strategies that help clients win cases, both in and out of court.

Any lawyer can claim to have all of these qualities, but a truly qualified attorney will have:

• A record of winning settlements and verdicts on behalf of their client
• Awards and accolades from clients, their community, and their peers
• A history of transparent and authentic client testimonials
• A reputation in good standing with the local community and the state bar

MCLC possesses all these credentials and more.

We are a firm of attorneys experienced in the complexity of workplace accidents. We have decades of combined experienced handling personal injury and industrial accident claims. We are litigators – that’s what we do.

Remember that all your questions are valid, and we will answer them for you. We will provide you with every bit of information you need to make an informed decision.

Let us help you and your family. Just give us a call at (518) 855-3535 or use our Contact page to send us a secure message.

What Does OSHA Say About Industrial Accidents?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by Congress in 1970 to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing safety standards and by providing training, outreach, and education. According to OSHA, the following are the top 10 most frequently cited standards by OSHA, leading to safety violations and injured workers:

1. Fall Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
2. Hazard Communication Standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
3. Respiratory Protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
4. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
5. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
6. Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
7. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
8. Fall Protection–Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
9. Eye and Face Protection (29 CFR 1926.102) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.212) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]

What is the Difference Between Workers’ Compensation Benefits and an Industrial Lawsuit?

If you are injured in the workplace, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who is at fault. New York’s workers’ compensation laws will provide you partial payment for lost wages and payment for your medical expenses. These payments may diminish over time and even cease.

If you are injured in the workplace and collect workers’ compensation, you cannot sue your employer. However, if your accident was due to the negligence of a third party, you can bring a lawsuit against that party. For example, if your injury was caused by a defective machine, you can make a personal injury claim against the manufacturer of the machine.

Specifically, to successfully file a lawsuit, we must prove that the accident occurred because the third party violated one of New York’s safety laws, specifically:

• New York Labor Law Section 240(1): This law is commonly referred to as the “Scaffolding Law”. It allows workers to sue property owners and contractors if a worker falls from heights due to inadequate safety practices. This includes personal injuries sustained by falling on the property, and being struck by falling objects, debris, and other construction materials. The law contains special provisions for workers injured by or on scaffolds, ladders, hoists, stays, slings, hangers, pulleys, irons, ropes, blocks, braces and other similar devices.

• New York Labor Law Section 241(6): This law allows construction workers to sue property owners and general contractors for specific violations of New York’s Industrial Code. Architects, sub-contractors and manufacturers of equipment may also be held responsible under Section 241(6).

• New York Labor Law Section 200: This law allows construction workers to sue any person or entity that failed to take reasonable safety precautions at worksites.
  
• Other various laws, statutes, rules and regulations set by the New York Labor Law, the New York Department of Labor, New York Division or Safety & Health, and OSHA.

Where Do We Represent Industrial Accident Victims?

We represent personal injury accident victims in every city, county, state and federal court in every county across New York State, including:

• Albany County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Allegany County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Bronx County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Broome County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Capital District Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Cattaraugus County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Cayuga County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Chautauqua County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Chemung County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Chenango County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Clinton County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Columbia County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Cortland County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Delaware County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Dutchess County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Erie County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Essex County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Franklin County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Fulton County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Genesee County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Greene County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Guilderland Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Hamilton County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Herkimer County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Jefferson County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Kings County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Lewis County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Livingston County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Madison County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Monroe County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Montgomery County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Nassau County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• New York County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Niagara County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Oneida County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Onondaga County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Ontario County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Orange County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Orleans County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Oswego County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Otsego County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Putnam County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Queens County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Rensselaer County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Richmond County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Rockland County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Saint Lawrence County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Saratoga County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Schenectady County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Schoharie County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Schuyler County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Seneca County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Steuben County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Suffolk County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Sullivan County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Tech Valley Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Tioga County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Tompkins County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Ulster County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Upstate New York Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Warren County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Washington County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Wayne County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Westchester County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Wyoming County Industrial Accident Attorneys
• Yates County Industrial Accident Attorneys

Contact Us

If you or a loved one have been injured in an industrial accident, you need a lawyer. Don’t wait any longer. Call the personal injury attorneys of Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr, PLLC for a free, confidential consultation, and let us help you get the full and just compensation you deserve.

To discuss your case, call at (518) 855-3535 or use our Contact page to send us a secure message.