If you’ve been hurt on the job in Ulster County, you probably are aware of the option of workers’ compensation. In many cases, workers’ compensation is going to cover your needs until you’re back to work. But it’s not always enough; workers’ compensation has strict limits, and it doesn’t always provide the full financial restitution that you deserve, especially if serious negligence or unsafe conditions created by someone other than your employer led to your injury.
As Kingston personal injury attorneys who specialize in areas like personal injury law, construction injuries and premises liability (like slip and falls), we’re here to help you figure out your options after a serious injury at work.
What Workers’ Compensation Won’t Cover
In New York State, workers’ comp is a no-fault benefit program, meaning that you don’t have to prove that anyone caused your injury. To qualify, you give up the right to sue your employer. It covers things like medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, and some disability benefits.
The flip side is that you won’t get compensated for pain and suffering, full wage replacement, or punitive damages for reckless or unsafe conduct.
Can You Sue a Third-Party In Addition to Workers’ Comp?
If someone other than your employer contributed to what happened, then you have the right to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit. Examples could include if you’re injured at a construction site on someone else’s property, if you slipped on unsafe property while making a delivery or at a catering job, if you were injured by faulty equipment, or if you’re injured while driving as part of your job.
You also might be in a situation where workers’ compensation doesn’t cover you at all, and you simply need to file a personal injury claim. These could include where you’re working as an Uber driver or gig worker, if your employer doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance, if you were physically assaulted by a third party or a co-worker, or if you were working offsite and were injured due to another party’s negligence.
What are the Most Common Workplace Injuries in Ulster County?
Unfortunately, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not keep track of workplace injuries county-by-county or town-by-town. However, by combining the national rates of workplace injuries from the BLS with U.S. Census Data on the most common professions from 2023, we can get a rough idea of how many workplace injuries there are every year in Ulster County, as well as in the City of Kingston and the Towns of Saugerties and New Paltz.
Therefore, of the 88,000 workers in Ulster County in 2023, we can reasonably estimate that at rate of 2.7 injuries per hundred, that there were roughly 2,736 workplace injuries. The data also says that there are 11,867 workers in Kingston (and an expected 320 injuries), 9,527 workers in Saugerties (and an expected 257 injuries), and 8,565 workers in New Paltz (and an expected 231 injuries).
1. Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance – 870 Ulster County Injuries
There were 25,574 workers in this category in 2023 in Ulster County, with 3,398 in Kingston, 2,460 in Saugerties, and 2,761 in New Paltz. Of the injuries, there were 116 estimated in Kingston, 84 in Saugerties and 94 in New Paltz.
Common jobs in educational services and health care and social assistance include teachers, nurses, home health aides, school custodians, social workers, and childcare providers.
2. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation and Food Services – 383 Injuries
There were 8,918 workers in this category in Ulster County in 2023, with 1,271 in Kingston, 847 in Saugerties, and 1,345 in New Paltz. For injuries, there were likely 55 in Kingston, 36 in Saugerties and 58 in New Paltz.
Common jobs in arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services include servers, bartenders, hotel staff, kitchen workers, performers, fitness instructors, and amusement park attendants.
3. Retail Trade – 295 Injuries
There were 9,501 retail workers in Ulster County in 2023, with 1,450 in Kingston, 1,111 in Saugerties, and 1,034 in New Paltz. That translates to an estimated 45 injuries in Kingston, 34 in Saugerties, and 32 in New Paltz.
Retail injuries often stem from wet floors, cluttered aisles, or falling merchandise. Common retail jobs include cashiers, stock clerks, sales associates, and shift supervisors, all of whom spend long hours on their feet and around the public.
4. Transportation and Warehousing – 176 Injuries
Transportation and warehousing jobs accounted for 3,915 workers in Ulster County, including 688 in Kingston, 722 in Saugerties, and 149 in New Paltz. Estimated injuries were 31 in Kingston, 32 in Saugerties, and 7 in New Paltz.
Common roles include delivery drivers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, forklift operators, and logistics personnel. These workers face frequent injury risks from lifting, operating heavy machinery, and navigating loading docks and delivery sites.
5. Construction – 152 Injuries
In 2023, there were 6,630 construction workers in Ulster County, with 940 in Kingston, 723 in Saugerties, and 378 in New Paltz. That equates to roughly 22 injuries in Kingston, 17 in Saugerties, and 9 in New Paltz.
Construction is one of the most dangerous sectors in New York. Common jobs include carpenters, roofers, laborers, electricians, and HVAC installers. Injuries often involve falls from scaffolding, tool-related accidents, and trench collapses.
6. Manufacturing – 133 Injuries
Ulster County had 4,760 manufacturing workers in 2023, including 603 in Kingston, 472 in Saugerties, and 484 in New Paltz. Estimated injuries: 17 in Kingston, 13 in Saugerties, and 14 in New Paltz.
Manufacturing jobs include machine operators, assemblers, quality control inspectors, and production technicians. These environments often involve repetitive motions, loud equipment, and hazardous materials, all of which contribute to injury risk.
7. Public Administration – 109 Injuries
Public administration employed 3,421 people across Ulster County, with 514 in Kingston, 417 in Saugerties, and 216 in New Paltz. That results in an estimated 16 injuries in Kingston, 13 in Saugerties, and 7 in New Paltz.
Public employees may include municipal clerks, sanitation workers, police officers, and road maintenance crews. These are jobs that can involve physical strain, outdoor hazards, and interactions with the public.
8. Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting – 101 Injuries
This industry employed 2,411 people in Ulster County, with small numbers in Kingston (20), Saugerties (22), and New Paltz (240). Corresponding injury estimates are 1 in Kingston, 1 in Saugerties, and 10 in New Paltz.
While these jobs make up a smaller portion of the workforce, they carry high injury risk due to machinery, outdoor exposure, and physical labor. Roles include farmers, orchard workers, landscapers, and animal handlers.
9. Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services – 79 Injuries
This broad category included 9,906 workers in Ulster County in 2023. Kingston had 1,358 workers, Saugerties 957, and New Paltz 924, with estimated injuries of 11, 8, and 7 respectively.
While many in this sector work desk jobs, some employees, especially in facilities maintenance, field inspections, or tech support, face injury risks from falls, repetitive strain, or accidents in client-facing roles.
10. Other Services, Except Public Administration – 77 Injuries
This sector employed 4,511 people in Ulster County in 2023, with 608 workers in Kingston, 525 in Saugerties, and 251 in New Paltz. That amounts to an estimated 10 injuries in Kingston, 9 in Saugerties, and 4 in New Paltz.
“Other Services” is a broad category that includes barbers, auto mechanics, repair technicians, laundromat employees, religious organization workers, and nonprofit service staff. Many of these roles involve physical tasks or working directly with the public, where injury risks include slips, burns, repetitive strain, and equipment-related accidents.
11. Wholesale Trade – 43 Injuries
Ulster County had 1,865 wholesale trade workers in 2023, with 100 in Kingston, 144 in Saugerties, and 110 in New Paltz. Based on injury rates, that translates to an estimated 2 injuries in Kingston, 3 in Saugerties, and 3 in New Paltz.
Jobs in wholesale trade include delivery coordinators, warehouse clerks, sales representatives, and forklift operators. Injuries are often due to lifting heavy goods, operating warehouse equipment, or navigating loading docks.
12. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing – 28 Injuries
There were 3,985 workers in this sector across Ulster County in 2023, with 557 in Kingston, 939 in Saugerties, and 369 in New Paltz. Estimated injuries are 4 in Kingston, 7 in Saugerties, and 3 in New Paltz.
This is largely a low-risk category involving office work such as bank tellers, insurance agents, property managers, leasing agents, and real estate brokers. Still, injuries can happen due to falls, repetitive stress from typing, or car accidents while driving to client locations.
13. Information – 26 Injuries
Ulster County had 2,605 workers in the information sector in 2023, with 360 in Kingston, 188 in Saugerties, and 304 in New Paltz. That leads to an estimated 4 injuries in Kingston, 2 in Saugerties, and 3 in New Paltz.
Information-sector jobs include journalists, telecom workers, broadcasting technicians, and IT staff. Most of these are office-based or tech-support roles, but field work (like telecom line repair or equipment maintenance) can pose injury risks, especially falls or electrical contact.
What are the Most Common Workplace Injuries?
According to the National Safety Council, the most common kinds of workplace injuries are:
- Exposure to harmful substances or environments – 28%
- Overexertion, bodily reaction like back injuries – 23%
- Falls, slips and trips, causing sprains, tears and strains -20%
- Contact with objects/equipment – 20%
- Violence and other injuries by persons or animals – 4%
- Transportation incidents – 4%