Living in or visiting bustling New York City usually means being on foot, often on crowded sidewalks in Manhattan or the other boroughs. Most New Yorkers walk safely to where they need to go, but sometimes there are serious sidewalk falls and other accidents. A sidewalk accident could cause severe injury, such as broken bones, head trauma, back injuries, and various injuries to the hands.

If you were hurt in a NYC accident because of sidewalk defects recently, you may require legal representation for the optimal case outcome. Gray Injury Law has dedicated its practice to representing the legal and financial interests of New York City personal injury victims, including those injured in auto, sidewalk, and cycling accidents. Our New York City sidewalk accident lawyers understand how to squeeze the most from stingy insurance companies and also can effectively litigate on your behalf in court if needed. Our lawyers have an impressive record of settlements and jury verdicts, and we look forward to helping with your sidewalk accident claim and possibly holding the property owners accountable for their negligence.

New York Premise Liability Overview

If you are hurt while legally on someone’s property in New York, the owner is liable for your damages if that party’s negligence caused your injuries. Premises liability law in New York City often involves slip-and-fall accidents on sidewalks. If you slipped and fell on a New York City because of a hazardous condition, the property owner adjacent to that portion of New York sidewalks may be liable. Sidewalk accident lawyers at Gray Injury Law can review your case today and determine the next legal steps. We offer a free consultation.

What Causes City Of New York Sidewalk Accidents?

Millions of people move about on New York City sidewalks daily, and slip, and fall injuries are frequent. Some of the most common causes of accidents are:

Oily Sidewalk

Oil on a sidewalk can be challenging, and many people in New York City wear dress shoes or high heels, making slipping more common. You may avoid inevitable oily sidewalk accidents by donning shoes with anti-slip properties when walking the city.

Ice Or Snow

Many slip-and-fall injuries are caused by ice and snow buildup in New York City and nationally. New York gets ample ice and snowfall annually, which can increase the chances of severe sidewalk accidents. The property owner abutting the sidewalk is responsible for maintaining that section. If they don’t and you are hurt, they could be liable for your medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.

Obstructed View

When a walker sees an impediment or unexpected object on the sidewalk, they could slip, trip, or fall. Certain elements that are low in your path of travel could be difficult to see and could make you trip and injure yourself.

Uneven Pavement

A defective sidewalk can be a significant hazard for pedestrians. Dangers may include cracked or broken concrete, vertical displacement between slabs, settled sidewalk portions that collect water, and damage from tree roots.

Insufficient Lighting

Broken street lights, low light, and darkness can cause many sidewalk injuries. If poor lighting was involved in your sidewalk accident and serious injuries, our premises liability lawyers will find out who may be liable.

In many cases, property owners could be liable for the slip and fall accident. Broken sidewalk accidents are often serious cases, and it is important to seek medical treatment immediately.

What Are Common NYC Sidewalk Accident Injuries?

Some severe injuries you could suffer in sidewalk injuries in New York City are:

• Head injuries: Approximately 17,500 traumatic head injuries (TBI) causing death are related to falls every year, according to the CDC. A moderate or hard blow to the head in a fall can cause concussion, brain bruising, or bleeding that could lead to permanent injury.
• Back injuries: Many fall-related back injuries are sprains and strains. These falls may sound minor but can cause severe damage and pain. Some slip and fall injuries can cause spine and spinal cord injuries, potentially leading to hundreds of thousands in medical expenses.
• Broken ankle: There are hundreds of thousands of broken and sprained ankle injuries every year, with the majority caused by falls.
• Elbow and wrist injuries: When you trip and fall, you naturally try to catch yourself with one or both hands. This action may cause your elbow or wrist to jam into the ground, potentially causing a fracture or dislocation.
• Cuts and bruises: Many sidewalk accident victims have cuts and bruises on the hands, arms, face, or legs.

A premises liability attorney should review your accident injuries and determine the worth of the case. If liability can be proven in the New York City sidewalk accident, you could receive compensation in an injury claim.

New York City Law And Sidewalk Accidents

A critical question after a sidewalk accident is who is liable for the victim’s injuries. A potential answer can be found in City of New York Administrative Code 7-210. This law went into effect in 2003. It changed legal liability for injuries stemming from a defective walkway from the city government to the property owner abutting the sidewalk. An exception is for sidewalks with 1-3 family residential properties occupied by the owners and used only for personal residences.

This law means that the New York City property owner must maintain sidewalks before its property. The sidewalk must be in ‘reasonably safe condition,’ which may mean, but is not limited to:

• Failing to install, repave, construct, or reconstruct damaged or broken sidewalk flags.
• Failing to remove ice, snow, dirt, or other hazardous facilities from the sidewalk.

Further, NYC homeowners could be liable if a broken sidewalk accident due to a sidewalk defect happens in front of the home.

The obligation placed on the property owner means they are liable for any injuries, even if the owner gave the responsibility to a tenant or hired a maintenance company. So, if you were injured in a sidewalk fall or other accident, you should learn who owns the building abutting the place where you were injured. They could be liable for your injuries and damages. However, you should have an experienced NYC sidewalk accident lawyer review your case to determine the potentially liable parties.

Contact Our NYC Sidewalk Accident Lawyer Now

Did you recently suffer a serious injury in a sidewalk accident in New York City? Was it a broken sidewalk or other dangerous conditions, such as a tripping hazard? A fall accident on the sidewalk could result in compensation if you prove that the adjacent property owner violated their duty of care. Gray Injury Law routinely handles serious pedestrian and sidewalk injury claims and may help you receive much-needed compensation for your recovery. You could receive money for medical bills, lost wages, future medical treatment, pain and suffering, etc.

Call (212) 537-7000 today or contact our New York sidewalk accident attorneys on our website. Gray Injury Law’s dedicated bike accident lawyers will fight hard for the best results in your NYC personal injury case.