Hispanic Workers Beware: Know Your Rights After a Construction Accident
New York City is a bustling metropolis that is always changing and evolving. You can see construction sites throughout the city. Unfortunately, the hard-working men and women who handle construction projects face very serious hazards when they’re on a job site.
Some of these hazards are so serious that they can lead to a construction worker’s death. In NYC, construction and extraction workers experience the highest number of fatalities at work. Across all industries, 95% of fatalities in NYC were men, and 40% were Hispanic or Latino.
Non-fatal catastrophic construction injuries
Some construction accidents aren’t fatal, but they result in a worker suffering serious injuries. Affected workers often need considerable medical care for things like broken bones, spinal cord injuries or brain injuries. The medical care that’s necessary after these injuries can be lengthy, intensive and costly. It may include a visit to the emergency department, doctor’s offices, therapy visits and prescriptions.
For most construction workers who suffer an injury at work, workers’ compensation coverage should step in to cover medical care costs. When an eligible worker can’t return to work immediately, they may also qualify for partial wage replacement benefits.
Protections are for all workers
One concern for some construction workers is their undocumented status. However, these individuals benefit from specific protections in NYC. The Workers’ Compensation Board works with federal and state authorities to provide temporary protection to undocumented and noncitizen workers who need to file a workers’ compensation claim.
The protection offered helps to combat the tendency of some employers to threaten workers with legal action regarding their status in the United States if they pursue the compensation that they’re due. Because of this protection, it’s possible for immigrant workers, including many Hispanics and Latinos, to seek the benefits they’re entitled to if they’re injured on a construction site.
Standing up for themselves can be difficult for some people who are injured at work, especially when there are challenges like language barriers and immigration fears inspired by someone’s circumstances. Workers who are facing those problems can benefit from having a legal representative to help them understand and exercise their rights.