Our Experienced Slip and Fall Lawyer in Staten Island Works for You
Although slip and fall accidents are sometimes dismissed as being minor mishaps, they can cause severe injuries like breaks and sprains or concussions. Our Staten Island slip and fall lawyer has experience with such cases and understands how, in a brief moment, one fall can change your life.
Picture yourself walking into your favorite Staten Island restaurant. Soon after arriving, you head to the bathroom. Suddenly, you slip, and in an instant, you are lying on your back. You notice a puddle of water. You also notice that you are injured: maybe your tailbone is broken or you have hit your head.
Or, maybe you’re walking up outdoor stairs and into a building when you slip on treacherous ice in the middle of a Staten Island winter. If the building owner didn’t clear the walkway of ice and snow, just entering the building could be dangerous.
If you’ve fallen and are hurt because a walkway, ramp, or staircase was in poor condition due to negligence, you may have cause to file a Staten Island slip & fall claim.
No two cases are the same, so experience is necessary for any successful slip and fall lawsuit. Our slip and fall attorneys have successfully handled many cases and have obtained numerous settlements for our clients. Call us today for a free consultation with our Staten Island slip and fall attorneys at (212) 563-1900.
What Should I Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?
Get Medical Attention, Stay Calm, and Call a Staten Island Slip and Fall Attorney
If you have fallen, then the most important thing is your safety. A fall can cause all manner of injuries, many of which can worsen if you move the wrong way or even at all. Because of this, it is important to remain still and perform an initial self-evaluation of your injuries. Do you feel pain when you move part of your body? Do you have any abrasions? Most importantly, did you hit your head? If you suffered a head injury, then you should take extra care to determine the extent of any damage.
Immediately seeking medical care will help keep your injuries from getting worse. Doing so will also get your injuries on an official record. Documenting the harm you’ve received is essential to proving your Staten Island slip and fall case. Without an official medical record detailing your injuries, you can’t claim damages.
Also, if you wait to document your injuries a few days after they occur, your case may be weaker. The opposing attorney will argue that your injuries may have had a different cause (something that occurred after the accident) or that you exacerbated your injury somehow. However, they can’t argue this if you get a medical report right after the injury.
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. And if you see a doctor even a day after the accident, the insurance company may also argue that you made your injury worse between the time of the slip and fall and seeking medical attention.
Document Your Condition and the Scene of the Slip and Fall Accident
When a slip and fall accident scene is fresh, there is a lot of valuable evidence that can help you win your case. Because of this, it is important to document the accident as thoroughly as possible as soon as it happens.
Some easy ways to document an accident are:
- Cellphone photos of the cause of the fall
- Store incident report from a manager or supervisor
- Witness statements and their contact information.
If you are hurt, do not do anything that might make your injuries worse. Also, be careful what you say. Anything you say can be used against your slip and fall case.
Contact a Reliable Slip and Fall Lawyer in Staten Island
The quicker you contact our slip and fall attorney in Staten Island, the better chance we’ll have to gather evidence to help solidify your claim for damages and medical care. You can reach our team 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 Staten Island 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.
How Our Slip and Fall Attorneys in Staten Island Can Help You
Working with a Skilled Attorney Can Increase Your Compensation
Our seasoned slip and fall lawyer in Staten Island will be able to construct a case for reasonable negligence. One reason that slip and fall cases are so tricky is that proving the “reasonable” part of a reasonable negligence claim can be subjective.
However, these claims can be proven through documented records or by proving that no safety records or best practices exist. Most of the proof in reasonable negligence cases comes down to showing what a reasonable person in the property owner’s position would do, which can come down to industry standards, OSHA practices, and plain common sense.
When you work with Tucker Lawyers, you can rely on our experience and feel secure knowing that we will advocate for you aggressively. We take on insurers to get you the best settlement possible. If your case needs to go to court, our skilled litigators are ready to fight for you.
Talk to our slip and fall attorney in Staten Island about your case. We stand ready to advocate for you and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (212) 563-1900.
Our Staten Island 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 Staten Island will strengthen your claim to help ensure your settlement is adequate to cover additional treatment.
FAQs About Staten Island Slip and Fall Accidents
Common Questions our Staten Island 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 Staten Island.
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 Staten Island 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.
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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.
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Can I still file a slip and fall claim if the statute of limitations has elapsed?
There are some instances when the statute of limitations is paused due to the circumstances of the case. There is also an instance when the statute of limitations for slip and fall cases is shorter. One of the reasons the statute of limitations may be altered is that the injured person was a minor. In this case, the statute of limitations is tolled until the minor reaches their 18th birthday. A verified condition of mental incapacitation on the part of the injured party may also toll the statute of limitations.
Conversely, when the government is a defendant in a slip and fall case, the statute of limitations is far shorter: 90 days after the accident to give notice of a claim and one year and 90 days to present the related lawsuit.
Our seasoned Staten Island slip and fall attorney completely understands the intricacies of statutes of limitations and the exceptions. This makes it essential to present your case to an experienced attorney as soon as possible to preserve your cause of action and increase the chances of a successful lawsuit.
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How much is my Staten Island slip and fall accident settlement worth?
Each case is different, but the average slip and fall case settles for $10,000 to $50,000.
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How much will a slip and fall lawyer in Staten Island cost?
Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, where they’re paid a portion of a winning settlement only.
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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.
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What happens if I slip and fall at work?
If you suffer an injury from a slip and fall while working, your claim will be a little different due to worker’s compensation laws.
Don’t see an answer to your question? We are happy to help. Reach out to our slip and fall accident attorney in Staten Island to talk about your case. We welcome you to reach out to us with any other questions you may have.
Why Choose Our Experienced Slip and Fall Attorneys in Staten Island
Depend on the Experience of Tucker Lawyers
When you need a knowledgeable legal representative in Staten Island, reach out to Tucker Lawyers. Our accomplished legal team has the specialized knowledge and experience to recover the compensation that our clients deserve after a slip and fall injury.
Remember: We don’t get paid unless you do, too.
We believe that all victims deserve justice, and we will fight tirelessly to secure the financial compensation that you are owed after your fall. We know that your life can change in an instant. We want to help you get your life back. While you heal, let us handle the details of your Staten Island personal injury claim. We will fight to get you all the compensation you deserve after a slip and fall at a Staten Island property.
For a free consultation, contact our Staten island slip and fall injury lawyers at (212) 563-1900.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]