Defending Construction Accidents Under New York Labor Law

Ellen Greiper has more than three decades of experience defending multi-party construction and construction defect cases in the state and federal courts of New York. An appointed arbitrator for the district courts in Nassau County, New York, Ellen — who also has extensive experience litigating high-exposure premises liability, Labor Law, and personal injury matters that arise from construction site accidents — is also a mediator for trial-ready cases in the Supreme Court of Nassau County. Ellen’s streamlined discovery techniques and proactive approach to complex litigation translates into effective and expedited solutions for clients.

A prolific author and frequent speaker on emerging issues in the construction industry, Ellen is also a member of a number of professional industry organizations. Those memberships include the Construction Specifications Institute, DRI’s Construction Defect Committee, and Professional Women in Construction, where she serves on the Board of Directors of its New York Chapter, the organization’s founding and largest arm. In 2013, Ellen co-authored a comprehensive survey examining a cross-section of construction cases from around the country for Mealey’s Litigation Reports: Construction Defects. She is also the editor of the firm’s Labor Law Update, which examines the latest developments regarding New York’s Labor Law and construction site accidents. 

In 2016, Ellen was named an Achiever by the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women, an annual honor bestowed by the organization on a select group of women who demonstrate extraordinary professional accomplishments and leadership. 

Ms. Gerstberger has an extensive background managing and handling  a variety of complex litigated claims including New York Labor Law, Products Liability, Premise Liability and Construction Defect matters. Ms. Gerstberger is currently Vice President of Casualty Claims where she manages the Construction Defect and NY Labor Law claims teams. Previously, Diana was a Primary Claims Manager at AXIS Insurance where she managed a team of four adjusters as well as handled a claims pending consisting of primarily of New York Labor Law and Products Liability losses.  Additionally, Diana has served in various mentoring and  leadership roles while at Zurich, Catlin, XL Catlin and AXIS.  Ms. Gerstberger has over 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry as a claims professional and insurance defense counsel. Over the course of her career, she has been a frequent industry speaker at DRI, ExecuSummit, CLM, and US LAW Conferences as well as a presenter for Lawline Webinars. Diana currently past immediate Chair of the DRI Construction Law Section.