$750,000 Workplace Slip and Fall Settlement in Queens

Nails, water, and debris covered the work area floor. No one cleaned it up, no one posted a warning, and no one provided slip-resistant footwear. When our client went down, the only question was who would be held responsible.

Workplace Slip and Fall at a Queens Construction Site

Our client was working at a construction site in Queens when he slipped and fell in an open work area. The floor was covered with standing water that had accumulated from an unknown source, and scattered across the wet surface were nails, screws, and other construction debris that had been improperly discarded. The combination of water and loose hardware created a slip hazard that would have been obvious to anyone walking through the area.

When our client stepped into the wet zone, his feet went out from under him. He fell backward, striking his lower back and the back of his head against the concrete floor. The fall caused lumbar disc herniations, a concussion, and a right wrist fracture where he attempted to catch himself. The lumbar injuries required surgical intervention, and the concussion symptoms persisted for months.

Contractor Liability for Unsafe Work Conditions

General contractors have a non-delegable duty to maintain construction sites in reasonably safe condition for all workers. This includes controlling water accumulation, disposing of sharp debris properly, and ensuring that work areas are free of slip hazards. Our attorneys documented that the standing water and scattered nails had been present in the work area for the entire morning shift — visible to supervisors and other workers who walked through the area without incident.

We obtained site safety inspection logs that showed no daily housekeeping inspections had been conducted for the week of the accident. The contractor's own safety manual required daily walk-throughs to identify and remediate slip hazards. The failure to follow their own protocols was central to establishing liability.

"Nails in standing water on a construction floor isn't a surprise hazard — it's a foreseeable consequence of not cleaning up after the morning crew. The contractor's own safety manual required daily inspections. They didn't do them, and our client paid for that negligence." — Andrew Levine, Founding Partner

$750,000 Settlement for a Queens Workplace Injury

This $750,000 settlement covers lumbar disc surgery, concussion treatment, wrist fracture recovery, lost wages, and the permanent back limitations that affect our client's ability to return to physical labor. It holds the general contractor accountable for maintaining a work area that violated their own safety standards.

If you were injured at a construction site or workplace due to unsafe conditions, our premises liability attorneys have extensive experience with workplace injury claims and are ready to review your case.