Manhattan Slip & Fall

Homeowners, tenants, businesses, and land owners have an obligation to keep their premises and property in a safe and orderly condition. If a property owner fails to properly maintain his or her property and as a consequence someone is injured that property owner may be financially liable. A common type of accident that occurs on property is a slip and fall or trip and fall accident. Such an incident involves someone slipping on a wet spot or a slick spot on the floor and suffering an injury. In order to prevail in a slip and fall case courts require that the injured victim show that the property owner had a legal duty to maintain the property so that no one is harmed, that the property owner had notice of the dangerous condition, and that the plaintiff was harmed as a result of the dangerous condition. If you were injured in a slip and fall accidents, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Manhattan slip and fall lawyer who will review the facts of your case and explain to you your legal options.

In order for a property owner or manager to be liable for a slip and fall the property owner or manger must have had actual knowledge of the hazard, or the hazard must have been present for so long that he or she should have known about it. The most common causes of slip and fall accidents include:

• Wet floor. Whether a floor was recently mopped, is wet from customers walking in from the rain, or is wet because a customer spilled something, a property owner or manager must post a warning or cure the hazard within a reasonable time period.
• Negligently waxed floor. If a floor was waxed in such a manner that it remains slippery, that presents a hazard.
• Loose carpet, rug or mat. If a carpet, rug or mat is worn, or is not properly secured to the floor, then someone could easily slip on it and fall, or trip on it and fall.
• Rain or ice. When the weather is rainy or snowy, customers may inadvertently bring in water or snow. Property owner and managers have a duty to post warnings, quickly mop, or install mats to keep people from slipping and falling. Similarly, if a sidewalk, parking lot or walkway is not properly cleared of snow or ice, victims may slip and fall, suffering serious injuries such as head injuries.

If you slipped and fell on a slick or wet floor, or on an icy sidewalk, parking lot, or walkway, and as a result suffered a serious injury such as a head or back injury, you have the right to file a claim against the owner, manager, or other person responsible for maintaining the property. Through a personal injury claim you have the right to demand compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and other losses that you suffered.

• Medical expenses: Victims of slip and fall accident often suffer serious injuries such broken wrists, broken arms, head injuries, and back injuries. Because the expenses associated with such injuries tend to be substantial, it is important that you demand that the negligent party pay both your past and future medical expenses related to treating the injuries suffered in the fall.
• Lost wages: While recuperating from your injury, you may have to miss work. Whether you miss a few weeks or longer, you can demand that the negligent person compensate you for your lost wages and compensation.
• Pain and suffering. Another compensable loss is the physical and psychological pain associated with a serious injury, particularly an injury that is debilitating such as a head injury that causes chronic migraines or in ability to sleep.

If you slipped and fell because of another person's negligence, you have the right to demand compensation for your losses. To ensure you have the best chance of success in your slip and fall lawsuit, you should also document everything that you remember about the circumstances that led to your fall, and then contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the accident. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from slip and fall accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.