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Construction Falls Killed 49 NY Workers in 2024 as Latino Families Bear Disproportionate Share of Wrongful Death Losses
Gorayeb & Associates, P.C.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York State recorded 217 fatal work injuries in 2024, with 50 of those deaths occurring in the construction sector and 49 caused by falls, slips, and trips. Nationally, the BLS reported 1,032 fatalities among construction and extraction workers in 2024, meaning a worker died every 104 minutes from a work related injury. Each death represents a family suddenly left without a primary wage earner, often with no understanding of the legal options available under New York law.
The crisis falls hardest on New York's Latino workforce. According to the BLS, Hispanic or Latino workers accounted for 26 percent of all fatal work injuries in New York State in 2024, totaling 56 deaths. According to the BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, of the 1,229 Hispanic or Latino fatalities recorded nationwide in 2024, 68.5 percent occurred among foreign born workers.
According to a 2023 BLS Spotlight on Statistics report, foreign born Hispanic or Latino workers made up only 8.2 percent of the U.S. workforce in 2021 but accounted for 14.0 percent of all work related deaths.
"Most of these families have no idea what they are entitled to. The widow comes in thinking Workers' Comp is the end of the road, and she is wrong," said Christopher J. Gorayeb, founder and managing partner of Gorayeb & Associates. "Under New York law, she can pursue the property owner, the general contractor, the subcontractors, anyone whose negligence put her husband on that scaffold. That is what we are here to explain."
New York Labor Law §240, the Scaffold Law, imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker dies in a fall. Wrongful death actions under the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law allow families to recover lost wages, lost parental guidance, and funeral expenses, separate from Workers' Compensation.
“If the insurance company contacts you, make sure to call us first," Gorayeb added.
About Gorayeb & Associates, P.C.
Founded in 1986, Gorayeb & Associates is one of New York's leading personal injury law firms, having secured over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for more than 12,000 injured workers. All services are offered in Spanish and English. Call (212) 267-2100.
Media Contact:
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Goldman McCormick PR
+1 516-901-1103
ryan@goldmanmccormick.com
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