Can I Seek Compensation for a Sidewalk Accident?

Sidewalks, while an integral part of urban landscapes, are unfortunately also common sites for various accidents such as trip-and-fall or slip-and-fall accidents that can cause serious injuries. In densely populated cities like New York, sidewalk accidents are prevalent and occur due to a variety of reasons. These incidents often involve slips and falls due to cracked or uneven pavement, potholes, icy conditions, or debris obstructing pedestrian pathways. Inadequate maintenance, improper construction, or negligence (carelessness) by property owners, property managers or municipalities can contribute to these hazards.

Sidewalk accidents may lead to injuries ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or head trauma, impacting an individual’s well-being and financial stability. Seeking compensation for these accidents involves navigating complex premises liability laws, identifying responsible parties, and proving negligence (carelessness). Understanding the nuances of sidewalk accident claims is crucial to making sure that victims receive adequate compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, permanent disabilities, pain and suffering etc. and other damages incurred. Victims would be well advised to seek the counsel of an experienced New York personal injury lawyer immediately after their accident.

Types of Sidewalk Accidents

Sidewalk accidents include:

• Slip and fall accidents: These often occur due to hazardous conditions such as icy patches, wet surfaces, uneven pavement, or debris like leaves, snow, or garbage obstructing the path.
• Trips due to uneven pavement: Sidewalks with cracks, raised edges, or uneven surfaces can cause individuals to trip and fall, resulting in injuries ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures.
• Accidents caused by poor maintenance: Neglected sidewalks with potholes, crumbling concrete, or lack of proper upkeep can lead to accidents, especially when property owners/managers or municipalities fail to address these issues promptly.
• Construction hazards: Sidewalks under construction or repair may present hazards like exposed holes, misplaced barriers, or construction debris, posing risks to pedestrians if proper cautionary measures aren’t in place.
• Obstructed pathways: Sidewalks cluttered with items such as garbage cans, improperly parked bicycles, or fallen branches can impede pedestrian pathways, potentially causing accidents.

Understanding the circumstances of your injury accident and identifying all the responsible parties involved is essential to building a strong case and for full compensation of your injuries and damages.

Who Can Be Held Liable?

In New York City, sidewalk liability is typically governed by the city’s administrative code, which often places responsibility on property owners/managers for sidewalk maintenance and repairs. According to the law, property owners/managers of buildings abutting the sidewalk are sometimes liable for injuries resulting from defects on the sidewalk caused by lack of maintenance or disrepair.

For residential properties (one-, two-, or three-family homes) in NYC, the liability for sidewalk maintenance often rests with New York City. However, for commercial properties or larger residential buildings, the responsibility for sidewalk upkeep falls on the property owner/manager, but there might be circumstances where the city shares or assumes some liability. Property owners/managers are required to maintain safe and hazard-free sidewalks, promptly address any defects, cracks, or uneven surfaces, and clear ice or snow in front of their premises.

Contacting an Experienced Lawyer

Property owners and/or property managers may be liable for sidewalk accidents. If you were involved in a sidewalk accident as a result of someone else’s negligence (carelessness), please remember that you have rights. Some of the damages that victims of such accidents can claim include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, loss of wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, past and future pain and suffering, permanent injury, etc.

The experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses.

Our law firm recovered $1,700,000 for a woman who slipped and fell and received no hospital or medical treatment for one month after the accident. We recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.

Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.

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1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES

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