Best Construction Accident Lawyers in NYC, New York

Updated November 2026 · 10 firms · how we rank below

We ranked 10 New York City construction accident lawyers by their published case results. The top firm, Gair Gair, reports a $272.5 million crane collapse settlement and states its contingency fee is usually about 33.33%. Each attorney listing below has a phone number and street address; the deadline to sue a private owner or contractor in New York is 3 years, and a claim against the city needs a notice within 90 days.

The ranked list

Which one fits your case

• Location: All 10 firms take cases citywide. For an office near you, Oresky and Reiter have Bronx offices; Oresky, Reiter and Raphaelson have Queens offices; Reiter has a Brooklyn office. Every firm also has a Manhattan office.
• Severity: For a death, paralysis or brain injury, start with the firms that publish eight-figure construction results: Gair Gair, Block O'Toole, Perecman, Oresky, Morelli and Gorayeb.
• Timing: If New York City or another public body owns the site, the 90-day notice of claim is the first deadline. Call any firm here this week; most offer a free consultation.
• Language: Polish or Russian: Block O'Toole, Perecman. Mandarin: Raphaelson. Spanish: most firms here.

How we rank

Each firm got a score out of 100: 40% published construction accident results (size and number of verdicts and settlements on the firm's own pages or in news); 25% focus on construction cases (dedicated pages, construction as a stated focus area); 20% public ratings volume (star rating and review count on a directory we could read); 15% accessibility (free consultation, languages, offices outside Manhattan, 24-hour lines). Ratings are third-party and were checked in November 2026; most firms showed no readable rating, so that weight mostly separated Block O'Toole and Gersowitz. Recoveries are firm-reported unless noted. Past results do not predict future ones. We are not saying any firm is the best; this is an ordered list by a stated method. No firm paid to be listed.

Top rated construction accident lawyers in NYC

Few construction firms in NYC show a star rating on a page we could read. The two we found were Block O'Toole & Murphy, with 5.0 from 202 reviews on its FindLaw profile (FindLaw plus Avvo), and Gersowitz Libo & Korek, with 4.9 from 26 reviews (FindLaw, Lawyers.com and Avvo). Other firms here had no reviews on FindLaw or no profile we could load. Ratings measure client service more than results, so read them next to the case results in each listing. Before you sign, look the attorney up in the New York attorney registration search to confirm the license is current.

Construction accident lawyer near me: how to narrow this list

Start with the borough where you were hurt, since that county's Supreme Court will usually hear the case. Next, match the accident type: scaffold and roof falls point to firms with Labor Law 240 verdicts, like Oresky, Gorayeb and Morelli; crane and falling-object cases point to Gair Gair, Block O'Toole and Perecman. Then call two or three firms. Ask who will try the case, how many construction cases they have taken to verdict, and whether they will put the fee in writing. A firm that answers those three questions plainly is a good sign.

How much does a construction accident lawyer cost in New York?

Nothing up front. Every firm on this list works on contingency, meaning the fee comes out of a recovery and you owe no fee if you lose. New York's appellate courts cap personal injury contingency fees by court rule; the First Department, in Gee v. Salem Day Care Center (2008), called a one-third fee reasonable under 22 NYCRR 603.7(e). Of the 10 firms here, only Gair Gair publishes a figure: it says it usually takes about 33.33%. Ask each firm whether case costs are taken out before or after the percentage is figured.

Deadline to file a construction accident claim in New York

There are several clocks. Tell your employer about the injury in writing within 30 days (Workers' Compensation Law 18). File the workers' comp claim within 2 years (WCL 28). A personal injury lawsuit against a private owner or contractor must start within 3 years (CPLR 214(5)). If New York City or another public body owns the site, serve a notice of claim within 90 days (General Municipal Law 50-e) and sue within 1 year and 90 days (GML 50-i). The 90-day notice is the one people miss most.

What to do after a construction accident

Get medical care first and tell the doctor it happened at work. Report the accident to your foreman or employer in writing, and keep a copy. Write down the site address, the general contractor's name, and names and phone numbers of coworkers who saw it. Take photos of the scaffold, ladder, hole or load involved before it is moved. Do not sign statements for an insurer before talking to a lawyer. Then check the deadlines above, especially the 90-day notice if a public agency owns the property.

Scaffold fall claims in NYC

Scaffold falls are the core of New York construction law. If a scaffold collapses, tips, lacks guardrails, or was not built and placed to protect you, the owner and general contractor can be liable under Labor Law 240(1) even if they did not run the job day to day. Firms on this list report scaffold results including Oresky's $23 million verdict for two workers in a collapse, Gair Gair's $16 million settlement for a 23-foot fall during demolition, Gorayeb's $10.25 million Brooklyn verdict, and Raphaelson & Levine's $6 million Queens settlement. All of these are firm-reported.

Ladder fall injuries

Ladders are named in Labor Law 240(1) next to scaffolds, so a ladder that slips, wobbles, breaks, or was the wrong tool for the job can support the same claim. Useful proof includes the ladder itself, photos of how it was set up, and whether anyone was holding it or it was tied off. Perecman reports a $15.2 million result for a fall from a frame ladder, and Mirman reports a $2.25 million jury verdict for a worker with head injuries after a ladder fall. Both are firm-reported figures.

Labor Law 240 (Scaffold Law) explained

Labor Law 240(1) covers work such as building, demolishing, repairing, altering, painting, cleaning and pointing a building or structure. It requires contractors, owners and their agents to provide scaffolds, hoists, ladders, ropes, pulleys and similar devices that are built, placed and operated to protect workers. It reaches gravity-related harm: a worker falling from height, or a load or object falling on a worker. Owners of one- and two-family homes who do not direct or control the work are excluded, as are architects and engineers who only plan and design.

Labor Law 241(6) claims

Labor Law 241(6) is the second main tool. It requires contractors, owners and their agents to run any construction, excavation or demolition site so that workers have reasonable and adequate protection, and to follow the safety rules issued under the statute (the Industrial Code). It is used for injuries that are not falls from height: tripping hazards, slippery surfaces, unguarded saws and machinery, and trench work. A 241(6) claim must point to a specific rule that was broken, so lawyers look for that rule early. Block O'Toole's $11.5 million saw-injury settlement (firm-reported) is this kind of case.

Falling objects on NYC construction sites

Being hit by a dropped beam, pipe, brick or tool is covered by Labor Law 240(1) when the object fell because it was not properly hoisted or secured. Bystanders hurt by falling debris can sue too, under ordinary negligence. The largest falling-object result here is Block O'Toole's case for a cyclist paralyzed by a railroad tie dropped from elevated track work in Brooklyn: a $110.2 million verdict, listed on the firm's results page as a $65 million settlement. Perecman reports a $19 million settlement after crane rigging failed and a steel beam fell. Both are firm-reported.

Crane accidents

Crane cases usually involve several defendants: the owner, the general contractor, the crane company, the rigger and sometimes the maker of a failed part. That makes them slow and expensive to prove, so firms with crane trial experience matter. On this list, Gair Gair reports a $272.5 million crane collapse settlement and a $10 million settlement for a woman hurt when a 35-ton crane fell at an excavation site. Block O'Toole reports a $25 million settlement for a crane operator hit by a hoisted load at a Bronx site. These are firm-reported figures.

Undocumented workers' rights after a construction injury

Immigration status does not close the courthouse door in New York. In Balbuena v. IDR Realty (decided February 21, 2006), the Court of Appeals held that federal immigration law does not stop an injured undocumented worker from recovering lost wages under the Labor Law, at least where the worker did not use false papers to get the job. A jury may weigh status as one factor in setting future wages. Oresky reports a $7.5 million verdict for an undocumented worker hurt on a scaffold (firm-reported). Many firms here have Spanish-speaking staff.

Workers' comp plus a third-party suit

Most injured construction workers have two claims. Workers' compensation pays medical bills and part of lost wages no matter who was at fault, and in most cases it is the only claim you have against your own employer (Workers' Compensation Law 11). But you can also sue other parties, such as the property owner, general contractor or another subcontractor, under Labor Law 240 and 241(6). That lawsuit can pay full lost wages and pain and suffering. Under WCL 11, the employer can be pulled into that suit only for a "grave injury," such as death, paralysis or amputation.

By borough

Manhattan

All 10 firms have a Manhattan office: Gair Gair, Block O'Toole, Perecman, Oresky, Morelli, Gorayeb, Gersowitz Libo & Korek, Raphaelson & Levine, Mirman and Reiter. Reported Manhattan-site results include Perecman's $19 million crane rigging settlement and Block O'Toole's $12 million 7 train tunnel fall settlement (both firm-reported).

Brooklyn

Reiter lists a Brooklyn office at 167 Division Ave. Block O'Toole's $110.2 million verdict involved a Brooklyn work zone, and Gorayeb's $10.25 million verdict came from Kings County Supreme Court (both firm-reported). The other firms take Brooklyn cases from Manhattan.

Queens

Oresky (Jackson Heights), Reiter (Forest Hills) and Raphaelson & Levine (Flushing) have Queens offices, and Perecman names a Queens office. Morelli's $62 million verdict and Raphaelson's $6 million settlement were in Queens County Supreme Court (firm-reported).

Bronx

Oresky (149 E 149th St) and Reiter (901 Sheridan Ave) have Bronx offices. Block O'Toole reports a $25 million settlement for a Bronx crane case, and Morelli's $62 million case arose from a Bronx site (firm-reported).

Staten Island

None of the 10 firms published a Staten Island street address on a page we could read. Mirman says it has a Staten Island office, and Oresky lists Staten Island as a service area. Staten Island cases are heard in Richmond County Supreme Court, and every firm here can take them.

Not sure? The Legal Referral Service of the New York City Bar Association and the New York County Lawyers Association: 212-626-7373 · nycbar.org/get-legal-help

FAQ

How long do I have to sue after a construction accident in New York?

Three years against a private owner or contractor (CPLR 214(5)). Against the city or another public body: notice of claim within 90 days (GML 50-e), suit within 1 year and 90 days (GML 50-i).

What is Labor Law 240, the Scaffold Law?

It requires owners and contractors to provide proper scaffolds, ladders, hoists and similar devices. When a missing or bad device causes a fall or a falling-object injury, they can be liable.

Can I get workers' comp and also sue?

Yes, against parties other than your employer, such as the owner or general contractor. Notify your employer within 30 days (WCL 18) and file for comp within 2 years (WCL 28).

Can an undocumented worker bring a case?

Yes. Balbuena v. IDR Realty (2006) allows lost-wage claims under the Labor Law, at least where the worker did not use false papers to get the job.

How much does a construction accident lawyer cost in New York?

Contingency only. A First Department case called a one-third fee reasonable. Only Gair Gair here publishes its percentage (about 33.33%).

How were these firms ranked?

40% published construction results, 25% construction focus, 20% public ratings volume, 15% accessibility. No firm paid to be listed.

Is there a free referral service in NYC?

Yes: the City Bar and New York County Lawyers Association Legal Referral Service, 212-626-7373.