Construction Accident

$915,000 settlement against the New York City Board of Education in this Labor Law case for injuries sustained by an electrician when the ladder he was given gave way because it lacked the proper safety feet.
This 40 year old, experienced electrician was involved in the renovation of a public school building in Brooklyn. In order to run new electric service, a hole had to be made in an existing wall just below the ceiling.  The location required the electrician to work over the top of an existing air duct.  The only ladder available and the one he was required to use to climb over the air duct was the top section of a multi-section ladder,  the type where each sections rails hook over the tread of the section below it. This top section was never designed to rest on the floor, and therefore didn’t have the necessary rubber pads to prevent it from slipping.

After making the hole, the electrician was attempting to dismount from the air duct to the ladder, when the ladder slipped on the terrazzo floor and he fell severely injuring his knees. The settlement was all cash.