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Common Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents in New York

Have you sustained an injury in a slip and fall accident? You are not alone. Slips, trips, and falls occur often. In fact, more than half of all adults over the age of 40 have experienced at least one debilitating slip and fall accident. Slips, trips, and falls account for most New York City emergency room visits. Each year, slips and falls lead to about 300,000 disabling injuries and 17,000 accidental deaths.

Slips, trips, and falls can happen anywhere, such as at the grocery store, on subway stairs or steps, at a restaurant, in a shopping mall, in a post office, at a park, on a street, or on a sidewalk. Anywhere that people walk can become a potential New York City slip and fall accident scene.

Slips and falls occur for many reasons. Sometimes, the responsibility belongs to the victim, either partially or fully. For instance, the victim could be wearing impractical shoes, horsing around, not paying attention, or intoxicated. Ultimately, however, most New York slip and fall injuries occur because of negligence on the part of the property owner.

To prove the negligence of the owner, the victim and his attorney must show evidence for the following:

1. An unsafe condition on the property caused the slip, trip, or fall.

2. The owner or manager of the property knew or should have known about the dangerous condition.

3. There was adequate time for warnings to be posted or for the condition to be repaired, but neither happened.

Common causes of New York slip and fall injuries include:

• An employee neglects to post wet floor warnings or properly close off the wet area after mopping a floor.

• An excessive amount of soap gets used for cleaning the floor, which remains slippery when dry.

• Spilled food, liquid, or other substances do not get cleaned up or warnings are not posted.

• Flooring does not receive proper maintenance, which can include loose floor tiles or floor boards, torn or loose carpets, and splintering floor boards.

• Stairs do not receive proper maintenance, which can include worn or loose steps, broken handrails, and spills, debris, or objects blocking the stairs.

• Sudden changes in floor level

• Poor lighting on a stairway or in a hallway

• Exposed electric cables

• Sudden stops on elevators and escalators

• Cracks in sidewalks or paving stones

• Potholes

• Ice or snow on sidewalks, and in lobbies and entranceways

• Loose or broken balcony or stair railings

• Debris or equipment left out at a construction site or other work place

Slip and fall injuries can be quite serious. Some of the most common ones include:

• Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries

• Broken bones in the wrists or hands

• Brain injuries

• Hip fractures

• Knee injuries

• Shoulder injuries

Such injuries often require expensive emergency medical treatment as well as physical therapy and rehabilitation. The victim may be unable to work for an extended period of time. In many cases, the victim faces permanent disability and an inability to continue earning a living. We will do our absolute best to get you the monetary compensation that you deserve.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a New York City slip and fall accident, then you need a premises liability attorney who understands the severity of your injury and will fight to get you fair compensation. Contact the slip, trip, and fall injury lawyers at Siegel & Coonerty to schedule a free consultation. Call us at 212-532-0532, or fill out the electronic contact form.

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