New York City Scaffold Accident Lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter Launches Comprehensive Legal Resource as Construction Worker Deaths Hit 10-Year High

New York City Scaffold Accident Lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter Launches Comprehensive Legal Resource as Construction Worker Deaths Hit 10-Year High

New York City, NY, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC, a leading New York City construction accident law firm, has published a detailed legal resource for scaffold accident victims and injured construction workers across all five boroughs. The new resource arrives at a critical time: 74 construction workers died across New York State in 2023 alone, a 48% spike from the prior year. In New York City, 30 of those deaths marked the highest toll in over a decade.

Read the full resource here: https://www.jcreiterlaw.com/new-york-city-construction-accident-lawyer/

What the Resource Covers

The guide walks injured workers through their legal options after a scaffold collapse, fall from height, crane accident, or any construction site incident in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island. Topics include:

• How New York Labor Law §240 (the “Scaffold Law”) places strict liability on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries on construction sites

• Worker protections under Labor Law §241 and §200 that go beyond what most states offer

• The difference between workers’ compensation and third-party personal injury lawsuits, and why pursuing both tracks leads to larger recoveries

• Types of NYC construction accidents covered, from scaffold collapses and falling objects to electrocutions, trench collapses, and demolition failures

• Who bears liability: property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, architects, and building developers

• Statute of limitations deadlines, including the 90-day Notice of Claim requirement for accidents involving New York City or government agencies

• What compensation injured workers and families of deceased workers are entitled to recover

Why This Matters Now

The 2025 NYCOSH “Deadly Skyline” report confirmed what construction workers already know: job sites are getting more dangerous, not safer. The report found that 74% of fatal incidents involved preventable safety violations. Seventy-seven percent of investigated fatalities were nonunion workers, a group with less access to safety training and legal information.

At the same time, OSHA enforcement has weakened. The average fine for a fatality case dropped 45.6% to $32,123. Inspection levels remain 15% below pre-pandemic numbers. The NYC Department of Buildings lost 119 positions during the construction boom, operating at a 13.3% vacancy rate as of January 2025.

“Too many injured workers accept a workers’ comp check and never learn they had a third-party claim worth 10 or 20 times more,” said Jonathan C. Reiter, founder of the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm. “This resource exists because construction workers in New York have some of the strongest legal protections in the country. They deserve to know that before the statute of limitations runs out.”

A Proven Track Record in NYC Construction Accident Cases

The Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for construction accident victims across New York City. Recent results include a $2.1 million settlement for a pedestrian and child struck by a collapsing building wall during demolition, a $1.5 million recovery for a worker who suffered a cervical spine injury from an overhanging pipe, and a $1.2 million settlement for a demolition worker hit by an improperly cut steel girder.

The firm handles scaffold accident cases, falls from height, crane and heavy equipment failures, electrocutions, trench collapses, construction site fires, and pedestrian injuries caused by active construction zones. All clients are represented on a contingency fee basis with no upfront cost.

About Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC


Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC

The Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC, is a New York City personal injury and construction accident law firm based in Midtown Manhattan. Founded by Jonathan C. Reiter, the firm represents injured construction workers, pedestrians, and families of deceased workers throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester, and northern New Jersey.

Mr. Reiter brings decades of experience in complex construction accident litigation involving New York Labor Law §240, §241, and §200. His work has been recognized by Forbes, the New York Times, and the Huffington Post. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and is admitted to practice in all New York State and Federal Courts.

For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm at (212) 736-0979 or visit jcreiterlaw.com. Available 24/7.

###

Media Contact:

Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC

Phone: (212) 736-0979

Website: jcreiterlaw.com

Scroll to Top