$1.4 Million Crush Injury Settlement in Brooklyn

Raphaelson & Levine secured a $1.4 million settlement for a Brooklyn worker whose right hand was crushed when a lift was activated by an employee of a different company on a shared worksite.

A Preventable Crush Injury at a Brooklyn Worksite

Our client was employed at Greater Windows & Doors Inc. in Brooklyn and was resting on a lift platform when a worker from Civil Line Windows — a separate company sharing the same equipment — pressed the button to raise the lift. Instead of lowering the platform as intended, the lift ascended and pinned our client's right arm and hand between the rising platform and the fixed structure above it. The crushing force caused severe damage to his entire right hand and arm.

With two different companies operating on the same equipment and no established safety protocols between them, this was an accident that proper coordination would have prevented entirely.

Proving Liability Across Two Companies in Brooklyn

Both companies denied responsibility. Greater Windows & Doors argued that Civil Line Windows' employee acted independently, while Civil Line Windows claimed it had no obligation to verify whether anyone was on the platform before operating the controls. Our premises liability attorneys cut through these deflections by subpoenaing the worksite's safety documentation — or, more accurately, the lack of it. No lockout/tagout procedures had been implemented, no communication protocol existed for shared equipment use, and no training records showed either company's workers had been briefed on multi-employer safety requirements.

A workplace safety expert retained by our team testified that OSHA standards require clear communication and physical lockout procedures whenever workers from multiple employers share equipment — standards that were completely absent here.

$1.4 Million for a Crush Injury Victim in Brooklyn

The $1.4 million settlement compensates our client for surgeries and ongoing treatment to his right hand, permanent loss of grip strength and dexterity, lost wages, and the pain of an injury that fundamentally changed his ability to work with his hands.

"When two companies share a worksite and neither takes responsibility for equipment safety, it's the workers who pay the price. There was no lockout procedure, no communication, and no excuse. Our client's hand was crushed because basic safety protocols didn't exist."

— Andrew Levine, Founding Partner at Raphaelson & Levine

If you've suffered a crush injury or workplace accident involving multiple employers in Brooklyn or anywhere in New York, our premises liability attorneys have extensive experience holding all responsible parties accountable, and are ready to review your claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.