A Construction Accident Lawyer in NYC Explains How One Explosion Changed a Worker’s Life

Michele Mirman | Construction Accidents | July 17, 2026

Construction work keeps New York City moving. Every sidewalk repair, sewer replacement, building renovation, and street restoration depends on workers who show up and do dangerous jobs. I have represented many of those workers, and I know how hard they work. I also know how quickly one careless safety decision can change a life.

Construction accidents are not always “accidents” in the way people use that word. Many happen because someone cut corners. Someone ignored a rule and failed to inspect equipment. Someone sent a worker into a hazardous area without proper protection.

That is why New York has strong labor laws. These laws exist because construction workers face risks that most people never see. A worker may stand near heavy equipment, open trenches, unstable materials, electrical hazards, falling objects, or dangerous gases. Therefore, owners, contractors, and other responsible parties must follow safety rules.

When they do not, workers pay the price.

As a construction accident lawyer in NYC, I have seen men and women go from earning a living to fighting through surgery, pain, and uncertainty. They worry about their families and about paying bills. They worry about whether they will ever return to the work that supported them.

I take those worries personally, and I do not just see a file. I see a person whose life has been interrupted.

One case I handled involved a construction worker on a City of New York sewer replacement project in Queens. The construction company had been hired to restore catch basins. That work included excavating the street around the catch basin, removing part of the sidewalk above it, taking off the cover, returning it, and restoring the area. This was hard physical work. It also required serious attention to safety.

The worker received only a hard hat and a reflective vest.

That was not enough.

On the day of the accident, he was cutting a metal curb bar with a concrete saw. Nearby, there were oxygen and acetylene tanks. These tanks were uncapped. That detail mattered.

Acetylene is extremely dangerous when handled improperly. Oxygen tanks also require careful storage and protection. Caps exist for a reason. They help protect valves and reduce the risk of a catastrophic release or explosion.

The worker had been using his saw for only one or two minutes when the explosion occurred. The blast threw him four to five feet forward.

Imagine that for a moment. You are doing your job, working hard. Then, an explosion catapults you through the air.

That is life-altering.

The worker suffered extreme injuries requiring spinal surgery and shoulder arthroscopy.

These are not minor procedures. A cervical fusion can affect the way a person moves, sleeps, works, and lives. Shoulder surgery can limit strength and range of motion, and affect a worker’s ability to perform the necessary work construction requires. Those limitations can threaten a worker’s entire future.

We brought the case as a Labor Law 241(6) construction accident claim. This section of New York’s Labor Law allows injured construction workers to hold responsible parties accountable when they violate specific safety rules. In this case, the claim focused on the unsafe condition involving uncapped acetylene tanks.

Many injured workers feel discouraged when defendants deny responsibility. That is common. Insurance companies and defense lawyers often look for ways to blame the worker or minimize the danger.

However, I have learned not to accept those arguments at face value. I look at the site and at the equipment. I look at the safety rules, what the worker was told to do, and what protection he received.

In this case, the worker was given only a hard hat and a vest. Yet he was assigned to work near a hazard that could explode.

After the jury was selected, the defendant offered $4,000,000.

Settlements and trials in serious construction accident cases often only come after years of work. They require investigation, expert review, depositions, motion practice, medical evidence, and trial preparation. But a settlement or trial may be the only recourse workers have to obtain a fair and just resolution of their case.

Don’t assume Workers’ Compensation is your only option.

Workers’ Compensation may provide medical benefits and lost earnings after a job injury, but you may also have the right to bring a lawsuit and recover for your injuries. That claim may involve bringing a case against a property owner, general contractor, subcontractor, municipality, or other responsible party.

These cases can be complex. They also depend on the facts.

That is why evidence matters immediately after a construction accident. Photos, witness names, incident reports, medical records, and site information all become important.Many times injured workers cannot collect the evidence themselves because they are hurt, hospitalized, or overwhelmed.

That is where legal help becomes essential.

When I represent an injured construction worker, I move quickly to preserve evidence, obtain witnesses and photographs, find out exactly how the accident happened, and identify the responsible parties. 

When a contractor or owner fails to follow safety rules, the worker suffers.

If you were hurt on a construction site in New York City, do not assume you know all your rights. As an NYC construction accident attorney, I have seen how quickly insurance companies and defendants try to shape the story to protect themselves. Talk to a lawyer who understands Labor Law Construction cases. Ask questions. Get answers. Protect yourself before others define what happened to you.

At Mirman, Markovits & Landau, P.C., I have spent my career fighting for injured New Yorkers. As a construction accident lawyer in NYC, I know how much a strong result can mean to a worker and their family.

If you or someone you love was injured on a construction site, contact us for a free consultation at mirmanlawyers.com/contact/ or call us at 212-804-6502. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.