Brooklyn Slip and Fall Lawyer
Chances are you have tripped and fallen at some point, hopefully without sustaining significant injuries. Any time you lose traction and stumble, you risk trauma to the body when you land. Trip and fall injuries can require surgery and rehabilitation and may result in permanent disability.
The good news is that falls are usually preventable, meaning someone can be held responsible for your injuries. Property owners and other entities have a duty to prevent and correct fall hazards promptly, and if they don’t, they can be held accountable under New York civil law.
If you were seriously hurt in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other damages. New York injury lawyers at Douglas & London fight for compensation for clients injured by another party’s negligence or misconduct. Falls can be life-changing but having a lawyer on your side can help you get the compensation you need to move forward.
Call our experienced slip and fall attorneys for a free consultation!
New York Slip and Fall Statistics
One out of five falls cause a serious injury like a broken bone or head trauma. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that nearly 7 million people were treated for fall-related injuries in the U.S. in a single year.
According to the most recent data, unintentional falls are the leading cause of injury hospitalization in New York City across nearly every age group. These accidents include falls at the same surface level and falls from higher surfaces like steps and ladders. In every category, they rank above motor vehicle accidents and other common causes of hospital visits throughout the city.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall
Because falls are so common, it’s wise to know what to do if you are injured in a fall.
- Seek medical attention. Your health and safety should always be your priority. Call 911 or ask someone nearby to call if you need immediate assistance. Or see a healthcare provider as soon as possible to check for injuries.
- Report the accident. If your fall did not happen at home, notify someone at the property about your accident. Restaurants, shops, and other public locations may have specific reporting systems, so follow those accordingly. If you complete an accident form, keep a copy for your records.
- Document the scene. Take pictures and video of the accident location, including conditions that may have caused your fall, like broken steps or spills. Remember, the property owner will likely take quick action to repair or remove these hazards, so documenting them immediately after a fall is essential to prove your case.
- Talk to witnesses. After a forceful jolt, you may feel a bit dazed and confused. A slip can happen so fast that you may not even realize what happened. This is why eyewitnesses are so important. If anyone else was present, obtain their contact information so they can serve as witnesses for your case.
- Gather evidence. If you decide to file a personal injury claim for damages, you will need documentation to show how and why you fell and how fall injuries have impacted your life. When in doubt, save any information related to your accident, including photos, police reports, and medical records.
- Consult a lawyer. Medical bills for slip-and-fall injuries can be expensive. If you cannot work during your recovery, the financial pressure can be overwhelming. Douglas & London personal injury lawyers will review your case to determine if you have a valid right to recovery.
A Douglas & London slip and fall Lawyer manages every aspect of legal proceedings to make the process as efficient and effortless as possible. We investigate your accident, collect evidence to support your claim, and calculate damages based on your injuries.
We fight for fair and full compensation for all of the ways your accident has impacted your ability to work, care for your family, and have a good quality of life. We negotiate with property owners, their attorneys, and insurance companies to resolve your case out of court. We are fully prepared to represent you in court if we cannot reach a reasonable settlement through negotiation.
Recoverable Damages
If you slip and fall on someone else’s property and get hurt, it makes sense to explore your options for recovering compensation for your losses. This is especially true when another’s negligence clearly led to your accident.
Possible damages for a New York slip and fall accident include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Loss of the enjoyment of life
Whether you pursue a settlement with the property owner’s insurance company or file a personal injury lawsuit, state and local laws and regulations will impact your case. In New York, a principle called “pure comparative negligence” applies to personal injury claims.
Under comparative negligence, the injured party can seek damages even if they are partly at fault for their accident. However, their compensation is reduced based on their percentage of fault. If that percentage is high or the evidence is limited, it often makes sense to settle out of court. Your personal injury lawyer reviews your case and recommends the best action to achieve your goals.
Common Locations for Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips and falls can happen anywhere, anytime: indoors and outside, in private homes and public buildings. Where you have an accident and how it happens matters for pursuing a civil lawsuit. Here are some common locations we see for slip and fall accidents:
- Apartment and condo complexes
- Arenas and theaters
- Bars and restaurants
- Construction sites
- Driveways
- Elevators and escalators
- Grocery stores
- Hospitals
- Hotels and resorts
- Offices
- Nursing homes
- Parks
- Parking lots
- Parking garages
- Pools
- Schools
- Shops
- Sidewalks
- Sports facilities
- Stairways
Leading Causes of Brooklyn Slip and Fall Accident
Slip and fall accidents have many possible causes, including:
- Objects and debris blocking walkways, steps, and paths
- Unsafe steps that are uneven, broken, or missing handrails
- Slippery floors due to spills, wetness, mopping, polishing, or waxing
- Uneven or damaged surfaces including cracks, divots, and potholes
- Poor visibility due to missing or inadequate lighting that makes it difficult to see when walking
- Environmental conditions like rain, snow, and ice that make surfaces wet or slippery
- Loose or unsecured carpeting or flooring and gaps where one flooring transitions to another
- Improper safety practices in public spaces and worksites that lead to fall hazards
- Missing fall protection for individuals working on ladders, scaffolding, and other high surfaces
Determining who the responsible party is for the slip and fall accident varies from one situation to the next. It can be a property owner, an employer, or the city or town responsible for inspecting and repairing public streets and sidewalks. However, proving negligence can often be tricky in cases like these. It’s important to take the right steps when an accident occurs (we’ll cover this below), and to reach out to a trusted slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible.
Types of Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall injuries range from minor cuts and bruises all the way to severe, life-threatening head, neck, and spine injuries. Broken bones and painful sprains and strains are common with falls.
Falls from heights of 45 feet or more are more likely to cause internal injuries, including bleeding and organ trauma. Falls from lower heights are more consistent with broken bones, torn ligaments and tendons, and other musculoskeletal injuries. These conditions all have the potential to cause pain and impact mobility and function. Some fall injuries require surgical repair and extensive physical therapy to recover.
Body position, or how someone lands when they fall, also affects slip and fall injuries. For example, if you trip on uneven sidewalk, your first instinct may be to outstretch your arms to break your fall, which can lead to a broken wrist or arm. Impact to the head can cause concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), resulting in physical or cognitive impairments.
Injuries also depend on how hard and fast someone falls. Generally, more severe injuries happen when the body accelerates rapidly before impact. Force also increases with height and weight. So, a taller person is more likely to sustain more severe injuries than someone who is smaller and weighs less.
The Risk of Fall Injuries Increases with Age
Fall prevention is especially important for older individuals. The risk of falls and serious fall injuries increases significantly among seniors. Age-related changes like vision problems, low-body weakness, balance challenges, and the use of medications all affect stability.
According to the CDC, in 2020, 3 million older adults were treated for falls in emergency rooms nationwide. Because our bones become more fragile with age, arm, ankle, hip, and wrist fractures are more common in older individuals who slip or trip. Serious fall injuries can make it hard to perform daily tasks, affecting a senior’s ability to remain active and independent.
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Experienced Slip and Fall Lawyers in Brooklyn
After a slip and fall accident, the insurance company for the at-fault property owner is likely to offer a quick settlement— likely lower than the true amount you’re eligible to receive. But if you accept without speaking with a Brooklyn slip and fall accident lawyer, you may be missing out on additional compensation. This is just one of the risks of working without an attorney. Delays, errors, and other missteps can cost you thousands of dollars.
At Douglas & London, our legal team has been fighting for justice for clients for over 20 years. We take the time and care to build a compelling case for fair compensation. We work to achieve a good outcome so you can move forward after a serious accident.
We don’t get paid unless we win, and consultations for new claims are always free. Call or connect online to schedule yours today. Douglas & London injury lawyers assist clients in and around Brooklyn and New York City, and throughout New York State.
