New York City and much of the northeast is gearing up for yet another snowstorm by mid-week. Snowfall and cold temperatures can lead to icy conditions, which significantly increase the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. Slip-and-fall accidents on ice or snow can lead to serious injuries including broken bones, head trauma and spinal damage. Liability in a slip-and-fall case depends on whether negligence (carelessness) played a role. Victims of such accidents may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Slip-and-Fall Injuries Can Be Serious
Slip-and-fall injuries on ice can be extremely serious, often resulting in serious and painful injuries as well as long-term health complications. Slipping and falling on snow or ice could cause severe fractures, head trauma, spinal cord damage or even permanent disability. Older adults are particularly vulnerable as their bones may be more fragile, increasing the risk of serious fractures like hip breaks or wrist injuries.
Head injuries are a major concern in slip-and-fall accidents. A sudden fall on hard, icy pavement can lead to concussions or traumatic brain injuries, which may cause cognitive issues, memory loss, dizziness and chronic headaches. In severe cases, these injuries may require long-term rehabilitation and drastically impact a person’s quality of life.
Spinal injuries are another significant risk. A hard fall can result in herniated discs, nerve damage or even paralysis, depending on the severity of the impact. Recovery from such injuries can be long and costly often requiring surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing medical care. Beyond the physical toll, these injuries can create financial hardship due to high medical expenses and lost wages. Victims may require extensive treatment, assistive devices or even modifications to their homes such as wheelchair ramps.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
Liability for a slip-and-fall accident on ice in New York City depends on several factors, including where the fall occurred and whether negligence (carelessness) was involved. Property owners/managers, business operators and other parties may be held responsible if they fail to maintain safe walking conditions. In New York City, property owners/managers are legally required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their properties within a reasonable timeframe after a snowfall.
The New York City Administrative Code §16-123 states that owners must remove snow and ice within four hours after the snowfall stops. Failure to comply may result in liability if someone is injured. Property owners/managers must also maintain common areas, such as parking lots and entryways, ensuring they are free from hazardous ice buildup. If a fall occurs due to untreated ice, the owner/manager may be held responsible for negligence (carelessness).
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you were involved in a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall 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.
For over 53 years, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. Our skilled attorneys can help you better understand your legal rights and options and will fight hard to recover compensation for you.
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 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 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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