Worker Struck by Falling Chisel Gets Summary Judgment on Labor Law Claim

A New York appellate court ruled that a worker struck by a falling chisel should have been granted summary judgment on his Labor Law claim. Case: Contreras v. City of New York, No. 161063/19, 01/20/2026, published. Facts: Roger J. Contreras allegedly suffered injuries when a chisel fell and struck him while he was taking a designated coffee break at a construction project involving an exterior restoration of a five-story school. Contreras testified that he took his break either on or underneath the sidewalk bridge on the jobsite with two other co-workers. He claimed that the scaffolding abo...