Our client, a 25-year-old carpenter was working on the roof of a commercial building in Suffolk County when the accident occurred.

The roof surface, made of unfinished plywood, posed a hazard. Work was delayed due to frost on the roof, but once deemed safe, our client proceeded onto the roof. Unfortunately, he slipped after a few steps, lost balance, slid approximately 20-30 feet, and fell about 20 feet from the roof. Despite requesting a safety device from his foreman, none was provided.

Although the general contractor had purchased new harnesses, there was no suitable place on the roof to tie off. As a result, our client suffered a calcaneus (heel) fracture requiring surgery, a dislocated right shoulder, and a pneumothorax (punctured lung).