Key Takeaways

• Hach & Rose, LLP has recovered over $1 billion for clients firmwide and holds an AV Preeminent rating, a Super Lawyers listing, and Best Lawyers in America recognition, with published construction accident verdicts up to $13.02 million.

• Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf and Block O’Toole & Murphy are the two firms that dominate this search and are widely known for landmark New York construction accident results; they are not included below since the point of this list is to look at other options.

• Chopra & Nocerino, LLP is the exclusive personal injury counsel for several major New York sports franchises and holds a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 recognition.

• The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C. has recovered more than half a billion dollars for accident victims, including a $30 million verdict for a worker who fell 44 stories.

At a Glance

New York’s construction sites run on a level of scaffolding, cranes, and elevation-related work that most states don’t see at the same scale, and the state’s Labor Law reflects that. Section 240, known as the Scaffold Law, places responsibility on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries, falls from heights, or being struck by a falling object, in most cases regardless of the worker’s own actions at the time. Section 241(6) adds a broader duty to keep a construction site reasonably safe, and Section 200 covers general workplace hazards tied to equipment and work methods. Because these claims run separately from a standard workers’ compensation case, the lawyer a worker chooses can matter a great deal. Below is a look at how four firms handling construction accident cases in the New York City area describe their own experience with these claims.

1. Hach & Rose, LLP

Hach & Rose, LLP was founded by Gregory Hach and Michael A. Rose nearly 25 years ago and has grown into one of New York’s better-known personal injury firms, with more than $1 billion recovered for clients across its practice. Construction accidents make up a significant share of the firm’s published case history, including a $13.02 million jury verdict for a construction worker who suffered a brain injury in a fall, a $6 million verdict for a worker injured in a ladder fall, and a $3.2 million verdict for a worker struck by a falling object.

The firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a Super Lawyers listing, and a Best Lawyers in America recognition, along with membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Its site walks through how Labor Law 240, 241(6), and 200 apply differently depending on how an accident happened, and how a construction injury claim can run alongside, rather than instead of, a workers’ compensation claim. Consultations are free, and the firm works on a no-fee-unless-we-recover basis.

https://www.unionlawfirm.com/

2. Chopra & Nocerino, LLP

Chopra & Nocerino, LLP was founded by Sameer Chopra and Alex Nocerino and has built a broad personal injury practice that includes scaffolding, ladder, and general construction site injury cases. Published results include a $4.75 million recovery for a scaffolding collapse that required spinal surgery, a $3 million recovery for a Manhattan ladder fall, and a $550,000 recovery for an electrician injured in a scaffolding fall.

The firm holds a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 recognition, a Super Lawyers designation, and Forbes Advisor Featured Partner status, and serves as exclusive personal injury counsel for several major New York sports franchises and venues.

https://www.chopranocerino.com/

3. Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers

Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, led by founding partner Alex Shulman, handles construction accident claims across all five boroughs and Long Island. Published results include a $1.5 million recovery for an undocumented day laborer injured by a falling steel beam, a $1.25 million recovery for a non-union electrician’s ladder fall, and an $850,000 recovery for a union worker’s scaffold fall.

Alex Shulman has held a Super Lawyers designation since 2017 and a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recognition, and the firm belongs to the New York Injured Workers’ Bar Association.

https://shulman-hill.com/

4. The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.

The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C., led by founder David Perecman and attorney Zachary Perecman, focuses heavily on construction site injury litigation and reports more than half a billion dollars recovered for accident victims. Published results include a $30 million verdict for a worker who fell 44 stories, a $19 million verdict for a worker struck by falling steel beams during crane operations, and a $9.9 million verdict for a scaffold fall.

The firm holds Best Lawyers in America recognition, a Super Lawyers rating, and a National Top 100 badge, along with multiple “Best Law Firms” designations.

https://www.perecman.com/

Frequently Asked Questions

What is New York’s Scaffold Law?

Labor Law Section 240, commonly called the Scaffold Law, requires property owners and general contractors to provide proper safety equipment for work performed at heights. When a worker is injured in a fall or by a falling object because that equipment was missing, inadequate, or defective, the law generally places responsibility on the owner and contractor regardless of the worker’s own conduct at the time, a stronger protection than an ordinary negligence claim.

Can I file a construction accident claim if I already received workers’ compensation?

Often, yes. Workers’ compensation generally covers an injured worker’s own employer, but a separate Labor Law claim can often be filed against a property owner, general contractor, or other third party who wasn’t the worker’s direct employer. These are two different claims with different rules, so it’s worth having a lawyer sort out which parties can be pursued.

Does immigration status affect a construction accident claim in New York?

No. New York courts have held that a worker’s immigration status generally does not bar them from pursuing a personal injury or Labor Law claim after a construction accident, though it can affect certain categories of damages. An attorney familiar with these cases can explain how that applies to a specific situation.

How long do I have to file a construction accident claim in New York?

Most personal injury claims in New York, including Labor Law construction accident claims against a private property owner or contractor, generally have to be filed within three years of the accident under CPLR 214. Claims involving a city, state, or other government entity often carry a much shorter notice-of-claim deadline, sometimes as little as 90 days, so it’s worth talking to a lawyer as soon as possible after a construction accident.

Final Thoughts

Construction accident claims in New York City involve a layer of law, Labor Law Sections 240, 241(6), and 200, that most other personal injury cases don’t, and getting that part right can shape how much of a worker’s medical bills, lost wages, and long-term care actually get covered. The firms above each handle construction accident cases in the New York City area, with real differences in size, focus, and published results. Hach & Rose, LLP’s combination of an AV Preeminent rating, Best Lawyers in America recognition, and a case history that includes a $13 million verdict for a construction worker’s brain injury makes it a strong option on this list for someone hurt on a New York job site.

Photo: Mikael Blomkvist via Pexels

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