Ladder Accident Lawyer in Manhattan

New York Labor Law & Ladder Fall Claims

Three statutes form the foundation of most ladder-related injury claims in New York, and understanding how they interact shapes the direction of a case.

Labor Law 240: The Scaffold Law

New York Labor Law 240, commonly called the Scaffold Law, is the primary basis for ladder fall liability. It requires contractors, owners, and their agents to furnish and properly place safety devices, including ladders and scaffolding, for elevation-related work such as erection, demolition, repair, alteration, painting, and cleaning. The duty is non-delegable, meaning an owner or general contractor can’t shift responsibility to a subcontractor simply by claiming someone else managed the work.

A worker’s comparative fault generally doesn’t reduce recovery under Labor Law 240. The narrow exception applies when the worker’s actions were the sole proximate cause of the accident, a standard courts apply carefully. One important limitation: the statute doesn’t apply to owners of one- and two-family dwellings who contract for work but don’t direct or control it.

Labor Law 241(6) & Section 200

Labor Law 241(6) ties liability to specific violations of the New York Industrial Code, such as requirements governing ladder angle, footing, and securing. It can apply alongside or instead of Section 240, depending on the circumstances of the fall. Labor Law 200 is a general duty provision requiring a reasonably safe worksite and supports a negligence-based claim independent of the elevation-specific statutes. Together, these three provisions give our attorneys multiple avenues for holding owners and contractors accountable.