Couple Ordered to Pay after Slip-and-Fall Involving Police Officer

A couple was ordered to pay nearly $12,000 to a police officer after he tripped and fell on their stairway while responding to a call. According to the Chicago Tribune, the couple was sued because they did not keep their stairway clean, did not properly inspect their stairs for any debris and did not alert their guests to any possible hazards. The officer responded to a domestic violence complaint in October 2011. The officer fell on some bags left out on the stairs as he was walking downstairs from the second floor. The New Jersey insurance company for the police department paid $11,890.29 in medical expenses and lost wages. The insurance company filed the lawsuit against the property owner.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 million people are injured in slip-and-fall accidents every year. Over 17,000 people die from slip-and-fall-related injuries and the remaining victims often end up suffering serious injuries. Although many of these accidents tend to happen at worksites, they can also occur at other locations such as restaurants, parking lots, bus stops, public sidewalks, homes, etc.
New York law states that property owners are responsible for making sure their premises are safe including sidewalks. This includes cleaning up any spills, clearing any debris and fixing any hazardous situations on their property. Government agencies or building owners are responsible for making sure that sidewalks and roadways are reasonably safe. Homeowners may be held liable if someone, such as a deliveryman, police officer or firefighter slips and falls on their property.
Injuries that result from a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall can be minor, moderate, serious or severe. Broken bones, back injuries, head trauma, herniated discs, sprains and strains are examples of some injuries that may occur as the result of a slip-and-fall accident. The victim of a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall accident caused by a property owner’s negligence, can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitative treatments, surgeries, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident, the experienced New York personal injury lawyers with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in 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.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: The Chicago Tribune