Construction Accident Lawyer in Clinton County
Injured on a construction site in Clinton County? NY Labor Law §240 may hold the property owner strictly liable. Free case review — (888) 702-1581.
Clinton County benefits from its position on the Canada-US border and proximity to Montreal, which has driven distribution warehouse construction near the Plattsburgh International Airport and along I-87. The former Plattsburgh Air Force Base has been the subject of ongoing redevelopment since the 1990s, with new industrial, commercial, and educational construction on the former runways and hangars. SUNY Plattsburgh campus expansion and the North Country's wind energy buildout on Tug Hill and in Clinton County's interior have kept construction trades occupied well beyond what the county's population might suggest.
NY Labor Law §240 and §241 — What Every Worker in Clinton County Should Know
Northern New York may feel remote, but Labor Law §240 applies everywhere in the state. Property owners in the North Country carry the same strict liability as developers in Manhattan.
New York Labor Law §240(1), known as the Scaffold Law, imposes strict liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker is injured due to a gravity-related hazard — a fall from scaffolding, a ladder collapse, a falling object. Strict liability means the owner's negligence does not need to be proved. If the safety device failed to provide proper protection, liability attaches.
§241(6) adds a parallel claim: any violation of the NY Industrial Code (12 NYCRR Part 23) that causes injury is also actionable. These two statutes together give injured construction workers in Clinton County unusually strong legal footing compared to workers in any other state.
Workers' compensation is not your only option. §240 and §241(6) claims are separate civil lawsuits — you can pursue both simultaneously, and a third-party lawsuit typically produces substantially higher recoveries than comp alone.
Active Construction in Clinton County — Where Accidents Happen
Clinton County has seen significant construction activity in recent years, including Plattsburgh International Airport redevelopment zone, SUNY Plattsburgh academic building upgrades, Champlain Centre expansion and commercial redevelopment. These projects employ workers represented by Laborers Local 190, Carpenters Local 279, IBEW Local 910 and other locals operating in the region.
Active construction zones are where §240 injuries occur. When an employer or GC fails to erect proper scaffolding, provide fall harnesses, or secure materials against falling, and a worker is hurt, the legal machinery of Labor Law §240 and §241(6) is available to that worker regardless of what their employer tells them.
Many workers in Clinton County are told after an injury that workers' comp is their only option, or that they were partly at fault. Under §240 strict liability, comparative negligence is not a defense. The employer's or property owner's claim that "you should have been more careful" is legally irrelevant if a safety device failed.
Filing Your Claim: Supreme Court, Clinton County
Construction accident lawsuits in Clinton County are generally filed in the Supreme Court, Clinton County, located at 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh NY 12901. The court is part of New York's Appellate Division, 3rd Department — the appellate body that reviews trial court decisions in Clinton County cases. Understanding the appellate division matters because different departments have developed slightly different interpretations of §240's scope over decades of case law.
Deadlines matter. Under CPLR §214, you have three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. However, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is two years, and claims against government entities may require a Notice of Claim filed within 90 days. Do not wait.
If you were treated after your accident at The University of Vermont Health Network — CVPH or another trauma center, your medical records will form a core part of your damages evidence. Preserving those records early, along with incident reports, OSHA logs, and witness contact information, protects your case.
Supreme Court, Clinton County
137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh NY 12901
Union Locals Active in Clinton County
Union members may have additional resources through their trust funds, but union membership does not affect your right to pursue an independent Labor Law §240 or §241(6) claim.
Common Questions About Construction Accidents in Clinton County
Injured on a Clinton County Construction Site?
Call (888) 702-1581 for a free case review. We handle §240 and §241 claims throughout Clinton County and all of New York state. No fee unless we win.