Brooklyn Municipal Liability Lawyer

Brooklyn Municipal Liability Lawyer

Sidewalk Accidents

New York City Sidewalk Injury Lawyer

New York City is a walking city. With congested subways and gridlocked streets, it’s no wonder that New Yorkers walk just about everywhere. And with so many rushing commuters, pedestrians, tourists and merchants sharing over 12,000 miles of sidewalks throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, it is also no great surprise that sidewalk accidents are among the most common causes of emergency room visits to New York City hospitals. New York City sidewalk accident victims with broken bones and other serious injuries seek treatment hundreds of times a week. With 8.5 million local residents and countless visitors using them all year long, and freezing winter weather causing freeze and thaw cycles that create additional wear and tear, cracking and unevenness, it is no wonder that New York City’s sidewalks deteriorate, creating hazards that result in serious pedestrian trip-and-fall accidents.

The most common causes of New York City sidewalk accidents involve failing to maintain and repair the sidewalk and keep it in a safe condition that is free of dangerous tripping hazards and other defects. Sometimes, the sidewalk wasn’t constructed properly in the first place. Keep in mind that sidewalk slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents are analyzed in the same way as other premises liability accident claims and require evidence that a defect or hazard existed, such as photos and measurements.

New York City Property Owners Are Liable For Sidewalk Accidents

The rules for sidewalk accident liability in New York City are different than many other municipalities: in most cases, the property owner is responsible, and therefore, liable. According to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), “New York City law requires property owners to, at their own cost, install, construct, reconstruct, repave and repair the sidewalk adjacent to their properties, including the intersection quadrant and pedestrian ramps for corner properties.” However, according to the New York City Administrative Code Sidewalk Rules, there are exceptions to this for one-, two- or three-family residential properties that are wholly or partially owner-occupied and used exclusively for residential purposes. Since there is so much complexity in New York City’s laws, it is always important to consult with an experienced sidewalk accident attorney right away.

It is imperative that property owners, whether they are business owners, building owners or homeowners, keep the sidewalks on their property safe and in good working order. When they don’t, accidents happen. Wide cracks, uneven or broken pavement, spalling, snow, ice and poorly maintained sidewalks are all accidents waiting to happen. Property owners can use salt and chemicals to keep sidewalks clean in winter. They should also keep sidewalks structurally even, safe and well-maintained all year round to prevent injury.

Property owner liability for sidewalk accidents isn’t the case in every municipality in New York and New Jersey. In some cities, the city government has the responsibility to maintain the sidewalks. Usually, if someone is injured in a municipality in which the city is responsible and potentially liable for damages in the event of an accident, the injured person may have only 90 daysor in some cases, as little as 15 days to file a notice of claim, making it of the utmost importance to contact an experienced sidewalk accident firm for help right away. There also may be other adjacent property owners at fault for contributing to a hazard, so there may be more than one liable party.

The related cases we handle include:

  • Serious sidewalk accidents
  • Personal injury
  • Premises liability
  • Slip-and-fall injuries
  • Trip-and-fall injuries
  • Wrongful death
  • Business negligence
  • Landlord negligence
  • Homeowner negligence
  • Municipality liability

Sidewalk Accident Lawyer Serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island And New Jersey

New York and New Jersey sidewalk injury cases may often be surprisingly complex and there might be very tight deadlines to file a claim for your injuries. If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident on a New York City sidewalk, or a sidewalk in another New York or New Jersey municipality, contact our experienced sidewalk accident attorney today to review your case at no charge. We accept sidewalk accident and personal injury cases on a contingency basis, which means that you pay no attorney fees unless we collect money for you. Give us a call at 347-318-4935 or contact us online today.