NYC Premises Accidents and Slip & Fall Lawyers

If you get hurt on someone else’s property, you can file a premises liability claim.

To be eligible for a premises liability claim, all of the following must be true:

• You suffered a personal injury
• Your accident occurred due to unsafe conditions
• You were present on the property lawfully (i.e., you were hired to work there or the property owner invited you)
• The land owner was aware of the unsafe condition and did not take measures to remedy the situation
• The premises did not have warning signs of the potential danger

Premises liability cases include a wide range of situations, including:

• Slip and fall accidents
• Trip and fall accidents
• Inadequate lighting
• Negligent security
• Dangerous stairwell or stairwell conditions
• Supermarket and retail store accidents
• Train and subway accidents
• Snow and ice accidents
• Falling objects
• Elevator accidents (falling in an empty shaft, tripping and more)
• Malfunctioning equipment on the premises
• Dog bites
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Toxic mold
• Fires and explosions
• Inadequate maintenance
• Swimming pool accidents
• Amusement Park accidents
• Drowning accidents
• Parking lot slips and falls
• Negligent road design / Roadway neglect

In a slip and fall accident, a victim falls backwards as a result of:

• Slipping on something slippery or wet on the ground
• Falling due to shifting ground material or an unbalancing factor

In a trip and fall accident, a victim falls forward as a result of:

• Failing to step all the way over something that’s hard or fixed
• Getting a foot caught on an object

While a slip and fall accident typically leads to injuries on the face, knees, chest or wrists, a trip and fall accident causes injuries to the back, tailbone or back of the head.

It’s important to determine the distinction between the two types of premise accidents, because keeping the details of story straight plays a key role in court testimony.

To determine which type of accident you suffered, contact an experienced attorney to review the details of your case.

The most common conditions for a trip and fall accident include:

• Cracked sidewalks
• Raised manhole covers
• Materials left on the floor
• Material or debris at construction sites

The common injuries in premises liability cases typically include:

• Bone fractures
• Neck and back injuries
• Soft tissue injury
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord trauma and paralysis
• Concussions
• Herniated and ruptured discs
• Lacerations
• Organ perforation
• Eye injuries
• Shock injuries and burns

In most cases, if you are injured when trespassing, the property owner is not liable, even if they were aware of dangerous conditions on their property.

Exceptions may include:

• Children and attractive nuisance: The trespasser is a child who was attracted to an appealing area that posed a risk to their safety (an unfenced pool, for example).
• Trespasser known to owner: The property owner is aware of the trespasser and reluctantly accepts the trespassing.

If you are injured in a premises liability accident, seek immediate medical attention and explain how your injury was caused to medical professionals.

• Take photos/videos of the incident site which may later support your claim
• Ask eyewitnesses of the incident for contact information
• Make a note of the weather conditions during the time of the premise accident
• Contact an attorney who specializes in premises liability cases
• Keep a journal to record how the incident affected your daily routine
• Track medical expenses and additional costs

At Spar & Bernstein, we handle all details of your claim, from investigation to paperwork, communicating with third parties and representing you in court.

Typically, New York laws protect employers from being sued for premise accidents, except in limited circumstances.

However, if you are injured on the job, it is possible to file a claim against third-parties that are responsible for safety conditions on the premises. Depending on the circumstances, you may be eligible for compensation on top of your worker’s compensation.

Contact an experienced personal injury attorney to determine your options.

Typically, the property owner is responsible for maintaining sidewalks connected to their property.

If you were injured on a public sidewalk, the City of New York may be held liable.

Contact a personal injury attorney to review your case and determine your options.

Negligent building security cases refer to offices and apartment buildings where owners are responsible for securing access to the building. Security measures can include security guards, doormen, locking doors and more.

If someone enters the building and assaults or kills a tenant inside, the injured party can file a premises liability case against the owner of the building, for negligence.

After an accident, your medical bills will be covered by your health insurance, if you are insured. You can pursue compensation to cover your expenses by filing a premises liability claim against the party responsible.

At Spar & Bernstein, we search for solutions that allow medical bills to be paid as they arise.

At Spar & Bernstein, we believe that every person deserves legal representation regardless of their financial standing.

Our free initial consultation serves as the foundation of our client relationships, where we examine the grounds for your premises liability case and determine how to handle it to achieve the best possible outcome.

We do not require payment in advance. Once a settlement is reached, we collect a payment in the form of a percentage of the net amount you are awarded as compensation.