New York City Parking Lot Accident Attorney
Representing the rights of victims in NYC after parking lot accidents
Parking lots allow easy access to the many municipal, commercial, and residential properties across the United States, including schools, airports, and shopping centers, to name just a few. The owner of the parking lot is liable for the conditions of the parking lot surface. Property owners have a responsibility to monitor their parking facilities and keep them reasonably clear of hazards that can cause people harm. Unfortunately, not all property owners take the necessary care of their parking structures and people get hurt. If you are injured because of the negligence of the property owner, you should contact an attorney immediately. You need to explore your legal options in order to protect yourself from the future burden of mounting medical bills, lost wages, and an impact to your quality of life. If you need an effective and passionate attorney to provide you with quality legal support, contact the Law Offices of Jonathan D. Sands for a consultation.
Negligence and parking lot accidents
If you are injured while walking in a parking lot, you must prove that the owner of the lot owed you a duty to maintain the lot in a reasonably safe condition. You must also prove that the condition that caused your accident was actionable – in other words that it was not trivial in nature, and that the owner knew or should have known of its existence. Once you have proved these elements, you will be able to recover damages for your injuries, as well as for medical bills and lost wages. The same rules apply if you were injured on stairs at the parking lot. Accidents that occur in parking lots owned or maintained by municipalities are subject to the requirements of the General Municipal Law.
If you can, collect evidence
As mentioned above, the burden of proof in a personal injury case rests with the injured victim. It would be wise to collect evidence for yourself or contact our firm to act quickly to collect evidence for you. Always seek medical attention. The professionals tending to your medical needs will document the injury, the place it occurred, and the general time it happened. If you can, take pictures of what caused your injury. Talk to potential witnesses that can help support your case, if necessary. If it is a weather-related hazard, it is imperative that you collect proof as soon as possible because conditions can change by the minute and erase your evidence. It is important to know that property owners have a certain amount of time to clear their walking surfaces of snow and ice after a storm concludes. If you were hurt within that time period, you may not have a valid case.
Contact a Westchester County law firm to protect your future
For over 30 years, the Law Offices of Jonathan D. Sands has aggressively fought to pursue compensation for its injured clients. We understand that the injuries suffered in falls can be debilitating, sometimes permanently, and result in large medical bills and lost earnings. If you or someone you know has been injured in a fall, please contact our office to discuss your case.