Queens Slip & Fall

The terms trip and fall accident or slip and fall accident are often used to describe an accidents that occur when someone accidently slips, trips or falls due to a unsafe condition or state on someone else's business or property, and suffers a serious injury such as a head injury, back injury, neck injury or broken bones. Anybody who owns or leases real property has a legal obligation to keep in a safe condition. This rule applies not just to store owners and other business owners. It also applies to homeowners, tenants who rent residential property, the government, and owners of unimproved land. If a property owner's building or land is not well maintained and as a result someone is injured, then that property owner may be ordered to compensate the injured person. If you are in need of a personal injury attorney because you were injured in a slip and fall accident, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Queens slip and fall accident attorney who will review the facts of your case and explain your legal options.

A slip and fall accident does not only refer to a accident that involves the victim slipping on a wet or slip spot on the floor or ground and then falling. It is also a more general term that refers to accidents where someone falls because of an unsafe condition. The unsafe condition could be a wet or slick spot. It could also mean debris that causes someone to trip and then fall. When this happens the accident is sometime called a trip and fall accident.

The most common reasons that someone falls in a store, office building, government building or sidewalk are:

• Wet floor. In some cases the floor is wet because it was recently mopped. In other instances a customer spills a beverage on the floor. In still other cases the floor becomes wet because someone broke a bottle of liquid. Regardless of the reason the floor is wet, the property owner must warn of the hazard or clean it up. The law allows property owners a reasonable time to clean up or post a warning.
• Waxy floor. When floors are polished, it not done properly a waxy, oily or otherwise slick residue may remain.
• Debris on floor. In the grocery store a customer may know a can of peas on the floor and walk away without picking it up. At your home your child may leave a few marbles or blocks on the floor in the foyer. In an office a staff member may stack papers in the area right outside of his cubicle. In any of these instances someone walking by may not see the obstruction on the floor and end up slip or tripping on it.
• Icy sidewalks and parking lots. Owners of parking must clear ice and snow to make the lot safe for people walking through them. Similarly, in some cases a store owner or property owner must keep the sidewalk directly in front of the premises clear.
• Dangerous stairs. Stairs can be hazardous if they are wet, have debris, are poorly maintained, or are poorly lit. In any of these instances a victim could easily slip or trip and fall.

While slipping and falling may not seem to be the kind of accident that results in other than minor injuries, such accidents often result in serious, debilitating injuries. Victims of slip and fall accidents often try to break their fall with their, resulting in broken arms or wrists. In other cases the victim falls and lands on their shoulder or bangs their head on a hard or sharp surface. In serious slip and fall accidents victim suffer head or brain injuries, fractured bones, or serious back injuries. These types of injuries mean substantial medical bills and lots of missed work. It is not fair that the victim should end up and also be forced to pay thousands and thousands of dollars in medical bills and a the same time be unable to work. Suing the individual whose negligence caused you to slip and fall may result in your receiving compensation to help make up for the losses you suffer.

• Medical bills: Medical bills for a serious injury that requires surgery, rehab and other types of costly treatment may far exceed insurance limits and your ability to otherwise pay. You should not have to. The person responsible for your injuries should have to compensate you for your hospital bills, doctors bills, medication, rehabilitation and other cost related to your treatment and recovery.
• Loss of income: It is also not fair for you to bear the financial impact of missing work while recovering. Lost work may mean that you lose your regular paychecks. You may also lose the opportunity to earn bonuses, a promotion and accrue vacation, sick and holiday pay. You may also lose the opportunity to earn or take advantage of other opportunities and benefits of work.
• Pain and suffering: Beyond the financial effects of being injured, being injured is inconvenient. You have to suffer the physical pain of the injury. You may have to go through invasive treatment such as surgery that also comes with pain. Furthermore you will have to deal with the mental suffering of a horrible accident and difficult injury. This will undoubtedly affect your mood and may cause you to suffer anxiety, feel frustrated and depressed, and may negatively affect your relationships with your family members.

It is important to note that if the slip and fall accident occurred at work, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits that include cash payments as well as medical benefits. If your injury requires an extended recover time or is permanent so that you are unable to work for an extended period, you may be entitled to Social Security disability benefits.

The injuries from falling can be serious, resulting in a painful recovery both physically and financially. While those responsible for your accident may be quick to offer you a financial settlement, the best course of action is to first contact an experienced attorney to review the details of your case. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates are experienced in representing clients who have been injured in accident that occurred because another person was negligent. 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.