There are a number of reasons why sidewalk trip and fall accidents occur. Sidewalk accidents may occur as a result of negligent construction or maintenance. Regardless of what causes these accidents, they have the potential to result in serious injuries that often lead to long-term health issues or sometimes, even lifelong disabilities and disfigurement.
What Causes Sidewalk Accidents?
Here are some of the most common causes of sidewalk slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents:
Ice and snow: In New York City, during the winter, hazards are often created in front of businesses, on sidewalks and in front of other buildings when ice and snow accumulate and are not cleared out in time. This is especially dangerous where there is a lot of pedestrian activity. Snow and ice can cause slip-and-fall accidents, which may result in serious or even catastrophic injuries. Sidewalk accident related litigation can be complex and it is important to have a lawyer on your side who can help you determine liability and secure maximum compensation for your losses.
Surface damage: Because sidewalks are heavily used, they are prone to becoming damaged and pose a serious safety risk to pedestrians. It is the responsibility of property owners, managers, the city (and/or other responsible parties) to fix any type of damage that occurs. Some of the common types of surface damage include potholes, broken or cracked pavement and damaged curbs. Any of these defects can cause a sidewalk slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident.
Uneven surfaces: Not properly constructing sidewalks and leaving uneven surfaces can also result in major injury trip and fall accidents. Even a slightly uneven surface can catch a pedestrian’s shoe. Uneven sidewalks can occur due to defective construction or when base materials shift, causing a portion of the cement or slab to shift. Tree roots can also lift up sidewalks and cause uneven surfaces that may result in falls and injuries.
Debris on the sidewalk: This is a common problem in New York City where property owners and/or property managers place some type of obstacle or debris on sidewalks that cause pedestrians to trip and fall or slip-and-fall. These objects may range from construction cones and work tools to signage, garbage or other types of debris.
Improper sidewalk design: When sidewalks are improperly designed, they can also pose dangers. For example, when a sidewalk is too narrow, obstructed by trees or shrubs, poorly lit or poorly leveled, it may be hazardous for pedestrians.
Construction accidents: With the amount of construction going on in New York City, particularly high-rise construction, it is not uncommon for pedestrians walking on sidewalks to get hit by objects or equipment that are dropped from higher elevations.
Who is Responsible?
Section 7-210 of New York City’s Administrative Code makes property owners and/or property managers potentially liable for personal injuries that are caused by their failure to maintain reasonably safe sidewalks. In New York City, property owners and/or the city must keep adjacent sidewalks and pedestrian ramps in good condition, free of defects and slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall hazards.
Property owners and/or property managers are required to install, construct, repave, reconstruct or repair sidewalks to New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications. It is important to remember that property owners through lease agreements may try to shift this liability to tenants, merchants, property managers or building maintenance companies.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you were involved in a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall accident or 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 49 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims.
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. Our law firm also 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 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 and medical malpractice 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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