Riverhead is in the middle of real change. The town, the seat of Suffolk County government, sits beside the 2,100-acre Enterprise Park at Calverton (EPCAL), one of the largest industrial redevelopment sites in the Northeast, while downtown Main Street undergoes active revitalization and the Peconic Bay Medical Center corridor continues to expand. Where there’s construction, there’s risk, and when a project cuts corners, workers and bystanders pay the price.
If you or a loved one suffered a construction site injury, our Riverhead personal injury lawyers at Trantolo & Trantolo can help you pursue fair compensation. When you reach out, we’ll walk you through a free initial consultation and explain exactly how our construction accident attorneys can help.
How a Construction Accident Lawyer in Riverhead from Our Firm Can Help
A construction accident claim can mean navigating workers’ comp, a third-party lawsuit, or both at the same time, and most injured workers have no idea which applies to them, let alone how to pursue it. That’s where a construction accident lawyer in Riverhead comes in. Here’s what happens when you call Trantolo & Trantolo:
- Evaluate your case for free: We review what happened and tell you plainly whether you have a workers’ comp claim, a third-party claim, or grounds for both.
- Investigate the accident: We secure photos and video of the site, take witness statements, and pull safety records before evidence disappears or the site changes.
- Identify every liable party: A construction site often involves a general contractor, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, and property owners. Your Riverhead construction accident attorney determines who’s actually responsible, including any Labor Law §240 or §241(6) violations that strengthen your case.
- Deal with the insurance company: Every call, every request for a statement, every lowball offer goes through us, not you.
- Negotiate, and go to trial if we have to: We push for what your case is actually worth. If the insurer won’t offer a fair settlement, our Riverhead construction accident lawyers are prepared to take it to court.
Third-Party Litigation for a Riverhead Construction Accident
While most construction accidents involve an employee, sometimes a contractor or other non-employee suffers injury on a construction site. If you suffered injuries on a construction site but were not employed by the construction company, you could have grounds to file a personal injury claim against the responsible parties.
Workers are prohibited from suing their employers for workplace accidents. However, there are certain exceptions.
Private contractors, visitors, inspectors, bystanders, and other non-employees could pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. In addition, a construction worker injured by a third party’s negligence could also pursue a personal injury claim.
Determining Fault in a Third-Party Construction Injury Lawsuit
While workers’ compensation claims for construction accidents do not require proving fault, third-party construction accident lawsuits do. Our construction accident attorneys in Riverhead can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
We understand that a construction accident is a highly traumatic experience that can have lifelong consequences. Our team can help you hold the responsible parties fully accountable. Parties we may pursue include:
- General contractor
- Construction company
- Third-party contractor
Most contractors carry liability insurance to cover damages should an injury occur. We file claims with all appropriate insurance carriers. In addition, we work to have your personal injury lawsuit submitted within the New York statute of limitations so you do not lose the chance to pursue fair compensation.
Under New York CVPLR § 214, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a construction accident results in death, New York EPTL § 5-4.1 gives you two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. Missing either deadline can permanently bar your right to recover, so the sooner you speak with a Riverhead construction accident attorney, the more evidence we can preserve on your behalf.
Filing a Third-Party Construction Injury Claim
During your free consultation, we review the details of your case and explain your legal options, which may include filing a lawsuit. When you become a client of Trantolo & Trantolo, we conduct a thorough investigation of the accident scene, including:
- Obtaining photos and videos of the construction accident site
- Taking witness statements
- Securing medical records and bills
Many personal injury claims settle out of court. However, construction injury lawsuits can be complicated due to the number of entities involved and the high medical expenses. We know how to hold all the responsible parties accountable for the losses you suffered. Our dedicated trial attorneys are prepared to take your case to court if we cannot achieve a fair settlement. We will not settle for less than you deserve.
Workers’ Compensation For Construction Accidents in Riverhead
WKC § 202 requires most employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Employees injured in the course of their work duties can claim compensation through workers’ compensation for health care and lost income. Those who lost a loved one in a workplace construction accident can also seek survivor benefits.
Health Care Benefits
Following a construction accident, accident victims may require emergency medical treatment, critical care, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation. A workers’ compensation claim can cover these healthcare costs, as well as medication, medical devices, and transportation to and from doctors’ appointments.
While workers’ comp will cover emergency care, any additional treatment must be through an authorized provider approved by the Workers Compensation Board. Our construction accident attorneys in Riverhead can help you understand your options.
Lost Income Benefits
Construction accidents are often severe enough to warrant time away from work. While you undergo treatment and rehabilitation, workers’ compensation covers lost wages after your first seven days away. If your income is reduced due to your injuries, you can also seek compensation for a portion of those lost wages.
Lost income benefits also extend to income loss due to full or partial disability. The Workers’ Compensation Board defines four types of disability:
- Temporary total disability
- Temporary partial disability
- Permanent total disability
- Permanent partial disability
To receive disability benefits, you must have a report that outlines your disability level from your treating physician. If you believe your documented degree of disability is incorrect, you can request an independent medical review, negotiate with the insurer, or request a hearing.
Trantolo & Trantolo’s construction accident lawyers can guide you through the process and represent you in hearings. We can also help you gather evidence, complete paperwork, and file an appeal if your claim is reduced or denied.
Survivor Benefits
If you lost a loved one due to a construction accident, you could pursue survivor benefits. A death claim for survivor benefits can cover funeral or memorial expenses and lost income from your lost loved one. Depending on your relationship with the decedent, you may be eligible for weekly cash benefits or a lump sum payment.
Speak with a Riverhead construction accident team member at Trantolo & Trantolo with questions about survivor benefits in a workers’ compensation claim. We offer free consultations to help you understand your legal rights and options after a serious construction accident.
Why Choose Trantolo & Trantolo for Your Riverhead Construction Accident Case
When you work with Trantolo & Trantolo, you benefit from more than 85 years of personal injury legal experience. Since 1938, our firm has been dedicated to protecting the legal rights of injured victims in Riverhead and throughout Long Island and Connecticut.
Personalized Legal Representation
After a life-altering construction accident, you deserve attentive representation from lawyers who care. Our Riverhead construction accident lawyers are here to provide the support you need from your initial claim through your final settlement or verdict. We treat each client like family. That means personalized representation, open communication, and aggressive advocacy.
Legal Assistance on a Contingency-Fee Basis
At Trantolo & Trantolo, we know that a construction injury can take a serious toll on your finances. To ease the burden, we offer legal representation on a contingency-fee basis. You only pay for our services when we win your case.
Proven Record of Success
Over the past eight decades, Trantolo & Trantolo has successfully recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. We are dedicated to pursuing fair compensation, no matter how complicated your case is. Our legal team has experience handling workers’ compensation claims and personal injury lawsuits. Let us bring our knowledge and resources to your defense.
A Trial-Ready Team You Can Trust
Our Riverhead construction accident attorneys prepare every case as though it’s going to court, so you’re never negotiating from a position of weakness. Read what our clients have to say about working with our lawyers.
Common Construction Injuries in Riverhead
Construction sites are dangerous by nature, and the injuries that result are often severe and life-altering. Depending on the type of project, whether it’s a Main Street storefront renovation, a hospital expansion, or heavy industrial work at EPCAL, the risks and injuries differ, but the consequences are consistently serious:
- Traumatic brain injuries, from falls, being struck by falling tools or materials, or scaffolding collapses
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis, common in falls from height or being caught under heavy equipment
- Fractures and crush injuries, from collapsing structures, trench cave-ins, or being pinned by machinery
- Amputations, from unguarded machinery, power tools, or heavy equipment
- Burns and electrocution injuries, from exposed wiring, gas line ruptures, or contact with power lines
- Wrongful death, in the most severe cases involving falls, structural collapse, or equipment failure
These injuries often mean months or years of treatment, an inability to return to physically demanding work, and mounting medical bills. A Riverhead construction accident lawyer can help make sure the compensation you pursue actually reflects the long-term cost of what happened to you, not just the immediate bills.
Construction Labor Laws in New York Explained
New York gives construction workers legal protections that don’t exist for most other types of workplace injuries. If a violation of one of these laws contributed to your injury, it strengthens your case significantly.
- Labor Law Section 200 establishes the basic duty of contractors and property owners to provide a reasonably safe worksite. A failure to enforce proper safety measures that leads to injury is grounds for a negligence claim.
- Labor Law Section 240, often called the Scaffold Law, requires owners and contractors to provide proper safety equipment, scaffolds, ladders, harnesses, and hoists for elevated work. If you were injured in a fall because that equipment wasn’t provided or failed, this law imposes absolute liability on the owner and contractor, regardless of your own conduct.
- Labor Law Section 241(6) adopts specific safety standards from the New York Industrial Code covering things like lighting, flooring, ventilation, and fall protection. A violation of any of these codified rules can support a negligence claim independent of Section 240.
A Riverhead construction accident lawyer at Trantolo & Trantolo can determine whether one or more of these laws applies to your case and what that means for your claim.
Deadlines For Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim After a Riverhead Construction Site Accident
To file a workers’ comp claim for a work-related construction accident, you must meet certain deadlines. Failure to meet these time limits could affect your eligibility. Deadlines to consider include:
- 30 Days: You must advise your employer of your injury immediately or no later than 30 days from the date of your injury.
- 10 Days: Your employer must notify their workers’ comp insurance within 10 days of your notification of injury or illness.
- 14 Days: The insurance carrier must provide a statement of rights and healthcare network requirements within 14 days of your employer’s notification of your injury or illness.
- 18 Days: The insurance company must begin paying benefits for lost income within 18 days if you missed more than 7 days of work.
- 18 Days: The insurance company has 18 days from the date your disability begins to contest your claim and notify you of the dispute. Alternatively, they have 10 days from the date they learn of your injury or illness, whichever is later.
- 30 Days: You have 30 days to file an appeal with the Workers’ Compensation Board if you disagree with their decision.
- 30 Days: If the workers’ compensation insurer disagrees with the judge’s decision on appeal, they can file a rebuttal within 30 days of receiving the judge’s ruling.
The appeals process for a workers’ compensation claim can be extremely complicated. When you are recovering from a severe construction accident injury, you may feel too overwhelmed to deal with the legal headache. That’s where we can help you.
Trantolo & Trantolo’s Riverhead construction accident lawyers can fight for your legal right to workers’ comp benefits. We are here to support you throughout your claim and can aggressively advocate for the compensation you deserve. Our team handles correspondence, files paperwork within required deadlines, and represents your interests during hearings and other proceedings.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation About Your Construction Accident Case
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic or fatal injury in a construction accident, our Riverhead construction accident attorneys can help you take legal action. Whether you are appealing a workers’ compensation denial, fighting for disability payments, seeking survivor benefits, or pursuing a third-party personal injury claim, we have the experience and resources to support your case.
Construction Accident Injury: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a subcontractor for my injury if I was a construction worker in Riverhead?
Yes. If a subcontractor’s negligence caused your injury—such as through unsafe practices or equipment—you may have grounds for a third-party claim. A Riverhead construction accident lawyer from Trantolo & Trantolo can investigate the site conditions and file a personal injury lawsuit alongside your workers’ comp claim.
How long do Riverhead construction injury lawsuits usually take to resolve?
The timeline of your lawsuit depends on the complexity of the case, the number of liable parties, and the extent of injuries. Your Riverhead construction accident lawyer will keep your case moving and negotiate for full compensation, even if a trial becomes necessary.
Can I recover compensation if I was partially at fault in a Riverhead construction accident?
Yes. New York follows comparative negligence, meaning you may recover compensation if you were partly liable for your accident. Under this doctrine, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. A Riverhead construction accident attorney will work to limit any blame assigned to you and fight for the highest possible settlement.
Can a construction accident claim in Riverhead cover future medical expenses and long-term disability?
Yes. A construction injury may result in permanent disability or long-term medical needs. Our Riverhead construction accident attorneys work with medical and financial experts to estimate future care costs and loss of earning capacity, ensuring your claim reflects the full scope of your damages.
Hear from Our Happy Clients
Trantolo & Trantolo
Office Info:Riverhead, NY Office
Address: 209 W Main St, Riverhead, NY 11901, United States
Phone: 844-999-9999
Opening Hours: 24 Hours / 7 Days A Week
Location Info: Our Riverhead office is located on W. Main Street along the Peconic River to serve our clients out on the East End. There’s parking behind our building for your convenience. If you’re coming from outside the immediate area, we’re easy to reach via several major roads: Route 25 (locally known as Main Street), Route 24 (locally known as Flanders Road to the East or Nugent road to the West), and County Road 51 (locally known as Center Drive).