We are New Jersey Construction Site Accident Lawyers
Holding negligent subcontractors accountable, maximizing third-party recovery, and protecting injured workers in Passaic, Bergen, and Northern New Jersey since 1922.
A construction site is inherently one of the most dangerous work environments in New Jersey. When general contractors skip safety briefings, subcontractors fail to coordinate, or heavy equipment manufacturers supply defective machinery, the physical consequences are devastating. Because of the sheer heights, high voltage, and massive weights involved, job site accidents routinely result in catastrophic orthopedic trauma, severe crush injuries, traumatic brain damage, or wrongful death.
At Raff & Raff, LLP, we have protected injured New Jersey residents and their families for over a century (1922–Present). We know that construction accident litigation is uniquely complex, often straddling the line between a standard workers’ compensation claim and a high-stakes personal injury lawsuit. Led by our Managing Partner Stephen T. Raff, Esq.—recently honored as the Passaic County Bar Association’s Distinguished Lawyer of the Year—and Certified Civil Trial Attorneys Michael S. Raff, Esq. and Daniel A. Levy, Esq, our trial team immediately goes on the offensive.
We do not let negligent developers or multi-million-dollar insurance carriers blame you for your own injuries. We prepare every single construction case from day one as if we are presenting it to a jury, conducting intensive scene audits, subpoenaing OSHA safety files, and forcing corporate defendants to pay the absolute maximum value of your losses.
We represent injured workers strictly on a contingency fee basis under our No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. This means you do not pay us a single dollar out-of-pocket, and we only collect a legal fee if we successfully win a financial settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
Overcoming Complex Legal Hurdles in New Jersey Construction Law
Select a category below to discover how we maximize your financial recovery, bypass employer immunity, and prove OSHA safety violations:
Maximizing Third-Party Liability
Suing Beyond Workers’ Comp
Under New Jersey law, you generally cannot sue your direct employer for a work-related injury; you are limited to standard workers’ compensation benefits. However, most construction sites are crowded with third parties.
- The Defense: We thoroughly investigate your accident to identify negligent third parties who do not enjoy employer immunity. If a separate subcontractor left a trench unguarded, a utility company failed to flag live wires, or a delivery driver struck you on site, we file immediate, aggressive personal injury lawsuits against their bodily injury policies to recover pain and suffering damages that workers’ comp cannot pay.
Defeating Defective Equipment
Holding Manufacturers Accountable
When scaffolding collapses, cranes fail, or heavy power tools malfunction, the injuries are catastrophic. In these cases, the manufacturer of the equipment can be held strictly liable.
- The Defense: We collaborate with mechanical engineering experts to audit the failed machinery. Under the New Jersey Product Liability Act, we prove that the equipment suffered from a design defect, a manufacturing flaw, or a failure to warn of known dangers, tapping into massive corporate product liability policies to secure your future.
Leveraging OSHA Safety Standards
Proving Violations of Federal Law
Construction sites are heavily governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). When developers or general contractors cut corners on safety to meet tight deadlines, they violate federal law.
- The Defense: We immediately secure any local OSHA investigation files, citation histories, and daily site logs. Proving that a contractor violated mandatory safety protocols—such as failing to provide harness tie-offs, neglecting to shore up a trench, or failing to install safety netting—creates undeniable proof of negligence that we use to force a maximum settlement.
Serious & Catastrophic Injuries Resulting from Job Site Negligence
Because of the heavy machinery, extreme heights, and hazardous energy present on construction sites, accidents routinely result in catastrophic, life-altering orthopedic and neurological trauma, including:
- Scaffold & Ladder Falls: Herniated discs, complex pelvic breaks, compound fractures, spinal cord damage, and permanent paralysis from high-velocity impact.
- Heavy Equipment Crush Injuries: Shattered joints, internal organ damage, and traumatic amputations or crush trauma requiring complex surgical reconstruction.
- Falling Object Strikes: Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), skull fractures, concussions, and permanent cognitive deficits, even when wearing a hard hat.
- Electrocutions & Explosions: Severe deep-tissue burns, nerve damage, and cardiac trauma resulting from unflagged live utility lines or defective machinery wiring.
- Trench & Excavation Collapses: Suffocation, traumatic asphyxia, and severe crush injuries from un-shored trench wall failures.
Serious & Catastrophic Injuries Resulting from Job Site Negligence
Because of the heavy machinery, extreme heights, and hazardous energy present on construction sites, accidents routinely result in catastrophic, life-altering orthopedic and neurological trauma, including:
- Scaffold & Ladder Falls: Herniated discs, complex pelvic breaks, compound fractures, spinal cord damage, and permanent paralysis from high-velocity impact.
- Heavy Equipment Crush Injuries: Shattered joints, internal organ damage, and traumatic amputations or crush trauma requiring complex surgical reconstruction.
- Falling Object Strikes: Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), skull fractures, concussions, and permanent cognitive deficits, even when wearing a hard hat.
- Electrocutions & Explosions: Severe deep-tissue burns, nerve damage, and cardiac trauma resulting from unflagged live utility lines or defective machinery wiring.
- Trench & Excavation Collapses: Suffocation, traumatic asphyxia, and severe crush injuries from un-shored trench wall failures.
Your Step-by-Step Action Plan After a Job Site Injury
- Prioritize Your Physical Health: Seek immediate emergency medical care. Go to the nearest trauma center (such as St. Joseph’s Level 1 Trauma Center in Paterson) to document your physical injuries and secure diagnostic imaging.
- Report the Injury Immediately: Notify your supervisor, site manager, or general contractor. Ensure a formal written accident report is completed, and request a copy. This creates an immediate, official paper trail.
- Take Photos of the Hazard: If you or a co-worker are physically able, take immediate, detailed photos of the dangerous condition that caused your injury (e.g., the broken scaffolding, the un-shored trench, the missing safety guard, the defective tool).
- Secure Eyewitness Contact Details: Get the names, employers, and phone numbers of any subcontractors, union workers, or delivery drivers who witnessed the incident.
- Do NOT Give Statements to Insurance Investigators: Do not speak to the general contractor’s insurance adjusters or sign any quick-settlement release forms. Speak with an experienced trial attorney first to protect your rights.
Rooted in Paterson to Serve Passaic, Bergen & Northern New Jersey
Our central office on Church Street in Paterson is located less than a 5-minute walk from the Passaic County Courthouse Complex, where all local Passaic County construction negligence lawsuits are filed, litigated, and decided.
Because we maintain a fully staffed second office footprint in Ridgewood, we are uniquely positioned to represent Bergen County workers. We routinely represent construction site accident victims receiving critical trauma care at major regional healthcare hubs throughout Northern New Jersey, including:
- St. Joseph’s University Medical Center (Paterson – Passaic County’s premier Level 1 Trauma Center)
- The Valley Hospital (Paramus / Ridgewood – directly adjacent to our Bergen County office footprint)
- Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack – Bergen County’s leading trauma hub)
- Morristown Medical Center (Morristown – serving our Morris County accident clients)
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston – serving our western Essex County clients)
- St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center (Wayne)
- Clifton Urgent Care & Local Medical Centers (Clifton)
- Holy Name Medical Center (Teaneck)
- Jersey City Medical Center (Jersey City – serving our Hudson County clients)
Frequently Asked Questions About NJ Construction Accidents
Can I sue my employer if I was injured on a construction site?
Generally, no. Under New Jersey’s workers’ compensation laws, you are legally barred from suing your direct employer for a work-related injury, regardless of who was at fault. However, you can file a third-party personal injury lawsuit against any negligent subcontractors, developers, property owners, or equipment manufacturers who contributed to your accident. This allows you to recover full pain and suffering damages, which are completely unavailable through workers’ comp.
Workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” system that pays for your authorized medical care and a portion of your lost wages, but it does not pay for your physical pain, suffering, emotional trauma, or loss of enjoyment of life. A third-party personal injury claim is a fault-based lawsuit. It allows you to sue negligent non-employers to recover full compensation for your pain and suffering, the complete value of your lost wages, and future future-economic losses.
Under New Jersey’s statute of limitations (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2), you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a formal lawsuit in court. If you fail to file within this two-year window, you will lose your right to seek compensation forever. However, if your accident occurred on a public or government-owned construction project (such as a school, municipal building, or state road), you must file a formal Tort Claims Notice (Title 59 Notice) within 90 days of the incident to preserve your right to sue.
We represent injured clients strictly on a contingency fee basis under New Jersey Court Rule 1:21-7. This means we cover all upfront costs of your litigation—including hiring accident reconstruction and OSHA safety experts, securing medical records, and paying court filing fees. You do not pay us a single dollar out-of-pocket, and we only collect a legal fee if we successfully win a financial settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
Protect Your Recovery. Protect Your Future.
Do not allow a negligent general contractor or their corporate insurance carrier to delay your medical treatment, downplay your pain, or underpay your claim. Speak face-to-face with an experienced, award-winning Northern New Jersey trial attorney via a secure Zoom meeting. We will analyze your accident reports, review your OSHA files, and outline a clear, aggressive strategy to secure your future.
Schedule Your Complimentary Strategy Session Today!
Fill out this form or call us directly at 973-742-1917 to schedule a complimentary strategy session with a lawyer.