Manhattan Slip and Fall Lawyer

What Are Some Common Slip and Fall Situations?

Slip and fall cases in Manhattan come in all shapes and sizes. They can happen anywhere a person can slip and fall. With that being said, certain conditions seem to frequently give rise to slip and fall accidents.

These include:

• Slippery or wet surfaces
• Loose extension or other electrical cords
• Broken or loose flooring
• Unsafe or faulty staircases or steps
• Dimly lit or unlit areas

Regardless of how it occurred, if you were injured from a slip and fall, you should contact our Manhattan slip and fall lawyer to consult with you about a potential personal injury claim.

Where Do Slip and Fall Accidents Commonly Take Place?

Slip and fall accidents in Manhattan take place all over the borough. However, not all accidents will lead to a personal injury lawsuit in Manhattan. Slip and fall lawsuits are valid only for accidents in places where the owner or tenant of the property is subject to premises liability, which is the duty to keep part of a property reasonably safe for the public.

Places where premises liability is applicable and the most common causes of slips and falls at these locations are:

• Sidewalks: snow-covered or broken sidewalks
• Supermarkets: unattended spills and clutter
• Restaurants: unattended messes and unkempt bathroom floors
• Convenience Stores: customer messes and failed or unmarked cleanups
• Residential Buildings: faulty or unkempt stairs, banisters, handrails, and walkways
• Private and Government Property: negligently maintained property open to the public

The above list is not exhaustive: slip and fall accidents occur under countless different situations.

What Should I Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?

Get Medical Attention, Stay Calm, and Call a Manhattan Slip and Fall Attorney

Right after you’ve fallen, especially if you’re in public, you may be tempted to get up and walk it off because you’re embarrassed. However, you should seek immediate medical attention and call an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Manhattan for advice.

Following the proper steps right after a fall can help ensure you’re eligible for a slip and fall claim.

Do Your Best to Stay Calm

You may be hurt, and it’s okay to cry, but try to avoid yelling and blaming the first person you see. You also should avoid making comments about your fall that imply it was somehow your fault. Anything you say after a slip and fall accident can be used to disprove your case.

Get Medical Attention

Don’t be afraid to call 911, especially if you feel dizzy or if you’ve hit your head. Soft tissue injuries and strains or sprains won’t show up right away, but EMS workers are trained to diagnose those properly. Similarly, concussions won’t necessarily be obvious at first, but can later become serious head injuries.

Remember, if you don’t see a doctor, the insurance company can claim that you weren’t actually hurt, or were not hurt as badly as you actually were.

Additionally, your visit to a recognized health provider establishes a record of your injuries. This record is official and can be used later as evidence of your injuries. Without it, you may not be able to prove damages, an essential part of any slip and fall claim.

Document Your Condition and the Scene of the Manhattan Slip and Fall Accident

Have a store manager or person in charge fill out an accident report describing the conditions where you fell. They’ll also take note of the employees who were working at the time. Plus, having the contact information for the business may help our Manhattan slip and fall lawyer obtain video surveillance tapes. Try to collect contact information for anyone who witnessed your fall. Our attorney can reach out to them to substantiate your claim.

Contact a Reliable Slip and Fall Lawyer in Manhattan

The quicker you contact our slip and fall attorney in Manhattan, the better chance we’ll have to gather evidence to help solidify your claim for damages and medical care.

As time passes after an accident, there is a real risk that evidence associated with the incident will degrade or become untrustworthy. For example, a witness’s memory may become cloudy, or a piece of evidence that helped cause your fall may no longer be available after some time has elapsed.

Contact us if you’ve been injured so we can consult with you on your case and get started on preserving key pieces of evidence and testimony. You can reach our Manhattan car accident lawyer at (212) 563-1900.

Am I at Fault for a Slip and Fall?

To establish negligence on the part of the New York property owner for public or private property, and therefore substantiate liability for your accident and subsequent injuries, your Manhattan slip and fall lawyer will have to prove three things:

• The property owner caused the dangerous conditions that led to your fall.
• They knew about hazardous conditions and opted not to fix them.
• They should have known about the dangerous conditions because a reasonable person would have noticed and fixed them.

A few other factors determine slip and fall liability. How long the location was potentially dangerous is one. For instance, it can be hard for a property owner to shovel and de-ice walkways and stairs in the middle of a snowstorm.

Other factors include the property owner’s protocol for inspecting the general area and how the hazard could have been fixed or otherwise remedied before the accident.

However, there are a few factors that the other party’s insurance company may claim made you at fault for your spill:

• You wore flimsy footwear or unsupportive shoes
• You were in a hurry
• You were distracted, using your phone, or not paying attention
• You ignored posted signage warning of hazardous conditions

When these situations apply, you may have a harder time proving your claim.

Our Manhattan Slip and Fall Lawyer Negotiates with Insurance Companies on Your Behalf

When pursuing a slip and fall injury claim, your attorney isn’t usually dealing directly with the property owner, but rather with their insurance company. Insurance companies prefer to deny claims made by plaintiffs or settle for as little as possible.

Often, in clear-cut negligence cases, the insurance company will offer a fast settlement. But many slip and fall accidents require ongoing medical care after the initial diagnosis. All medical bills from your slip and fall injury should be covered under your settlement.

If you settle too fast, your medical care will come out of your own pocket. Our slip and fall lawyer in Manhattan will strengthen your claim to help ensure your settlement is adequate to cover additional treatment.

FAQs about Manhattan Slip and Fall Accidents

Common Questions our Manhattan Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Hear from Clients

When you’re hurt after taking a fall, you could have a legal claim if your fall was caused by someone’s negligence. You may wonder how a legal case works after a slip and fall accident in Manhattan. If you suffered severe injuries, you may wonder where to turn, be concerned about medical bills, be worried about lost wages, and wonder how you can get the most compensation possible. Our Manhattan slip and fall accident lawyers are here to answer any questions you may have after a nasty fall. Here are a few we regularly hear.

• What is the statute of limitations for a slip and fall?

  In New York, you have three years from the date of the incident to file a claim.

• Are there any exceptions to the statute of limitations?

  In some Manhattan slip and fall cases, there are exceptions to the statute of limitations. They include:

  • Cases with a minor victim: The statute of limitations is tolled until the minor reaches 18 years of age
  • Government agency as a defendant: The statute of limitations is shorter for government agencies: 90 days to file notice of a claim and one year and 90 days to file the suit.
  • Incapacitation: If an injured person is mentally incapacitated, then the clock is tolled until a psychiatrist designates them sane.

  If you miss the three-year deadline, exceptions to the statute of limitations may allow you to still bring a slip and fall case. Consult with our experienced Manhattan slip and fall lawyer to get the answers you are looking for.

• How much is my Manhattan slip and fall accident settlement worth?

  Each case is different, but the average slip and fall case settles for $10,000 to $50,000.

• How much will a slip and fall lawyer in Manhattan cost?

  Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, where they’re paid a portion of a winning settlement only. This means that you pay nothing upfront to our Manhattan slip and fall attorney.

• How long will it take to settle my slip and fall case?

  Our lawyer will often want you to complete your medical treatment before filing a claim to ensure that they have an accurate dollar amount for your medical fees and compensate you for any time missed at work.

• What if I slip and fall while I am at work?

  If you slip and fall at work, workers’ compensation regulations will probably come into play. The intersection of personal injury law and workers’ compensation can be complicated. Our skilled Manhattan slip and fall attorney will handle the complexities and work to get you a just settlement.