Manhattan Slip and Fall Lawyer
The results of a sudden slip and fall range from embarrassment to serious injury. The first hurts only your pride, while the second can land you in the hospital and unable to work for a considerable time. While you are recuperating, your medical and other bills continue piling up. If the owner of the property on which the fall occurred was negligent, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Douglas & London can protect your rights and fight to hold those responsible for your injuries accountable. Do not negotiate with the property owner’s insurance company before receiving legal counsel. Instead, call our office for a free consultation with a skilled slip and fall lawyer in NYC.
For 20 years, our attorneys and support staff have helped personal injury victims across Midtown, Washington Heights, and other parts of Manhattan. And our case results speak for themselves.
Premises liability
A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere. Personal injuries occurring on another party’s property fall into the category of premises liability.
In New York, property owners have a duty of care to keep their premises safe for visitors or customers. Should they breach this duty of care and someone gets hurt, that individual is eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, it is up to the injured person to prove negligence, and for that, a good deal of evidence is needed.
Proving negligence in a slip and fall accident
The presence of an unsafe condition, such as missing stair tread or a spilled drink, does not automatically constitute negligence. To understand how our Manhattan slip and fall lawyers prove negligence in these complex matters, you must first understand the property owner’s duty of care. In NYC, a property owner or managing employee is obligated by law to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. In general, this would include:
- Routine inspections by employees and staff
- Regular maintenance to ensure that potential hazards are addressed
- Fixing dangerous conditions in a timely manner
- Alerting visitors and invitees on the property about potential hazards that have yet to be repaired
As your legal representative, it is our job to find evidence that demonstrates if a property owner was negligent by:
- Creating the dangerous condition themselves
- Doing nothing to correct a slip and fall hazard that they were aware of
- Failing to warn guests about a dangerous condition they knew about or should have known about
We will often need to present evidence that shows the owners should have reasonably foreseen the hazard that caused your slip and fall injuries. This may come in the form of witness testimony, previous citations, surveillance footage, photos, and maintenance records.
Leading causes of slip and fall accidents
Every winter, there is an uptick and slip and fall injuries in Manhattan. Some of the most common locations include office buildings, apartments, airports, parking lots, retail stores, sidewalks, and malls. However, these accidents can occur any time of the year, and some of the most common causes include:
- Spilled food or drink
- Inadequate lighting
- Deteriorating curbs and sidewalks
- Missing railings
- Accumulated ice and snow
- Uneven flooring
- Loose mats or rugs
- Clutter and debris in aisles
- Missing or broken stair treads
Due to the complexity of slip and fall claims, it’s critical to align yourself with a law firm that boasts a long track record of winning results. A Manhattan slip and fall attorney at Douglas & London leverages the resources and knowledge to fight for maximum damages and will never settle for less than you deserve. Our attorneys have experience with subway slip and fall accidents and injuries that occur on public and government-owned property.
Common slip and fall injuries
Slip and fall accidents are among the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. More than 8 million Americans seek emergency treatment for injuries stemming from slips, trips, and falls every year. Statistics indicate that people aged 65 and older are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries like hip fractures that can produce long-term complications.
A New York personal injury lawyer at Douglas & London can help victims get fair compensation for all types of injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Concussion
- Neck or shoulder injuries
- Nerve damage
- Torn ligaments, sprains, and contusions
- Spinal cord injury
- Herniated and compressed discs
What to do after a slip and fall
After a slip and fall accident, try to do the following:
- Report the accident to the manager, owner, or superintendent
- Get a written copy of the report
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene and your injuries
- If there were eyewitnesses, get their contact information
- Seek medical treatment right away
- Do not clean, but save the clothing and shoes worn.
Property owners come up with all sorts of defenses, but evidence can disprove them. For example, a broken stair may have caused the slip and fall. The owner may introduce an undated photo showing the stairs are not broken, but a time-stamped photo taken right after the accident will show that the stair was broken at the time, and has since been repaired. Alleging the injured party was wearing inappropriate footwear, at least partly causing the accident, is another favorite defense against a slip, trip, and fall claim. Photographing your shoes right after your fall and preserving them can help your case.
Slip and fall damages
Damages for a slip and fall accident may include:
- Medical expenses, current and future
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Modifications relating to disability
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
While most slip and fall lawsuits require filing within three years of the injury date, any claims involving government property have just a six-month statute of limitations.
How to choose your slip and fall attorney
There are plenty of personal injury law firms that take on slip and fall cases, so how do you choose the right advocate for your needs? Consider some of the reasons why Manhattan residents depend on Douglas & London for results-focused representation in premises liability claims.
- We always offer a free initial consultation to explore your rights
- If you have a case, we will launch independent investigations to collect compelling evidence
- Our attorneys can identify all potential sources of compensation from liable parties
- We will document the full extent of your economic and non-economic damages
- Our firm will hire experts to substantiate your case
- We are skilled negotiators and veteran trial attorneys
- Our legal services are offered on a contingent basis
Contact slip and fall lawyers Manhattan trusts
If you or someone you know were hurt in a slip and fall accident, obtain legal advice as soon as possible. The slip and fall lawyers at Douglas & London will review and evaluate your claim. We are available 24/7, so call or contact us online at any time to schedule a free consultation. Our dedicated attorneys have recovered more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by another party’s negligence.
