Abogados de Accidentes de
Construcción en Greenpoint

Greenpoint construction often involves working on or near contaminated sites due to the neighborhood's industrial history. Workers may encounter petroleum contamination in soil and groundwater, hazardous materials in older buildings including asbestos and lead, and waterfront conditions including poor soil, wind exposure, and flood risks. These hazards add to the [scaffold falls](/accidents/scaffold-falls), [ladder falls](/accidents/ladder-falls), and struck-by risks common to all construction. Environmental exposure may create additional legal claims beyond Labor Law 240.

Exposure to toxic materials during construction may give rise to claims beyond Labor Law 240. Depending on the circumstances, you may have toxic tort claims against responsible parties including former property owners who caused contamination. These cases are complex and require careful investigation of the contamination history and your specific exposure. An attorney can evaluate whether you have both scaffold law claims for physical injuries and toxic tort claims for environmental exposure.

Labor Law 240 applies to remediation work when it involves activities at height or risk of falling objects. [Scaffold falls](/accidents/scaffold-falls) during tank removal, falls into excavations during contaminated soil removal, and injuries from falling materials during demolition of contaminated structures may all be covered. The scaffold law protects workers regardless of whether they're building new construction or remediating old contamination.

Employers are required to inform workers of known hazards including environmental contamination. If you were injured or exposed to hazardous materials that your employer knew about but failed to disclose, you may have additional claims. This is separate from Labor Law 240 claims and may include negligence claims against the employer. OSHA requires hazard communication for toxic substances, and failure to provide it can support claims beyond workers' compensation.

Waterfront construction cases often involve more complex fact patterns due to challenging soil conditions requiring deep foundations, multiple contractors working on different aspects of large-scale projects, sophisticated equipment (cranes, barges, pile drivers) required for waterfront work, and environmental remediation requirements. These factors don't change the Labor Law 240 legal standard—strict liability applies—but may affect case strategy and the identification of responsible parties.