NEW YORK –
Three undocumented workers have reached court settlements for a total of $3.85
million for a series of New York construction-site accidents. The accident attorney for the workers
announced that the workers would receive compensation for their injuries and
damages.
Accident attorney, Brian O’Dwyer stated in a recent news
conference: "All three cases involve construction and terribly unsafe
working conditions. We're here today to re-emphasize -- as we have in the past
-- to the Latino community and all undocumented workers that they have the same
rights once they're on the job as any New York citizen."
One of the workers, a 33-year-old plumber from
Mexico was scalded by an exploding pipe in 2004 at a Wall Street construction
site. He was awarded $2.5 million for his injuries on the job.
Another worker, also from Mexico, suffered
injuries after a steel beam fell on him at a construction site in Manhattan.
The 52-year-old reached a settlement for $750,000.
The third worker, a 36-year-old Ecuadorian,
received $600,000 for injuries while working at the Arverne by the Sea
community in Queens. His accident occurred in 2007, when three 200 pound
trusses fell on him, causing a fracture to his hip as well as other extensive
wounds.
Upset by the situation, the worker explains: "The
contractor tried to blame me. What message
would he give other workers? "Don't be afraid to talk to a lawyer."
O’Dwyer points out that "Many workers are threatened by their employers with deportation or discharge if they bring their cases to court. What we find normally on work sites in New York is that deaths occur to the undocumented far out of proportion to their work in the workplace, and that is because of the fact that they just do not receive the safety protections."
Back in 2005, the accident attorney won a $4 million settlement for an injured Mexican
worker who had fallen 30 feet in a scaffolding accident in the Bronx.
While it is illegal for an employer to hire an
undocumented immigrant, according to the New York City Mayor's Office of
Immigration Affairs, if in fact the worker is hired, they have the same right
as any other worker to be ensured safety at the job site.
The workers have chosen to remain anonymous in
order to protect family residing outside of the country out of fear of
kidnapping if news of their settlement becomes public.
