Slip and Fall Accidents in New York City
Slip and falls in the workplace
The Law Office of John O’Gara, Esq., PC is a prominent, experienced New York City personal injury law firm, handling slip and fall accidents. John O’Gara aggressively protects your rights. When you suffer an injury due to a slip and fall accident at work or due to the negligence of another person or corporation, he seeks the best possible financial compensation you deserve under New York law.
What is a slip and fall lawsuit?
If you slip and fall on another’s property and are injured, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit to recover expenses incurred such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
These lawsuits are referred to as premises liability cases, simply because the owner, manager or other parties may be held legally liable when injuries occur on property which they are legally responsible to maintain and keep safe. A trip fall accident or slip fall accident in New York City may result in serious injury with significant physical and financial consequences for the victim. A slip and fall accident case can arise from a variety of circumstances, from an injury which occurs indoors or out, on a sidewalk, stairs or carpet, on private property, in a public building, or on a busy street.
Some common indoor slip and fall accidents are caused by –
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You may slip and fall outside due to unsafe conditions such as:
- Large hole or crack in sidewalk
- Inadequate snow and ice removal
- Hole in the sidewalk or driveway
- Deep crack in sidewalk
- A pothole in a crosswalk
- Ice on a sidewalk or stairs
- Water or other liquid on a slippery surface, like marble
- Oil or similar slippery substance caused by negligence of those controlling property
- Inadequate exterior lighting
- Failure to remedy a known dangerous condition
Determining liability for slip and fall accidents
The law with respect to landowner responsibility for accidents caused by conditions on their property has been evolving in New York for hundreds of years. In New York City, building code regulations often come into play.
Assigning legal responsibility for a slip and fall injury requires consideration of all pertinent facts under the circumstances. Liability or responsibility is frequently determined using common sense to judge whether or not the parties involved acted reasonably under the circumstances — Did the property owner or manager have responsibility which they failed to fulfill which led to a slip and fall accident? The behavior of the injured party is also considered. Just what the landowner or manager’s responsibilities are can be a more complex question, involving questions of the applicability of building code and various rules and exceptions under the circumstances.
In order to effectively handle a slip and fall lawsuit in New York City an attorney must be well versed in the building code and the New York City Administrative Code, which has been amended under Mayor Bloomberg to shift responsibility for sidewalk maintenance, including proper snow and ice removal, from the City of New York to landlords of apartment buildings and commercial properties.
The precise standards of proof vary according to circumstances, but generally, where there is a duty to keep the property safe for others, there is a responsibility to act in a reasonable fashion to prevent forseeable injury.
Contact John O’Gara for a free initial consultation
The Law Office of John O’Gara, Esq., PC has extensive experience with slip and fall accidents. To read about some of our more interesting premises liability cases, see our Verdicts and Settlements page. Or call and speak to an attorney about your accident at no cost or obligation to you. We believe that the best way to ensure that landlords maintain safe properties is to pursue claims against those property owners who negligently put pedestrians at risk of injury. If you believe you have suffered a slip and fall injury in New York City due to negligence, contact John O’Gara.
