Sidewalk Accidents

New York City Sidewalk Accident Attorney

man-872100_960_720Representing New York City clients after slip and falls on sidewalks

Sidewalk accidents have the potential to cause very serious injuries. While we walk through our communities, we are faced with obstacles and hazards that can hurt us and leave us unable to work while at the same time incurring large medical bills. If you were to slip or trip on a sidewalk, you could suffer a multitude of injuries that can leave you with an uncertain future. If you are injured on a sidewalk and can establish that it was caused by another’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover damages for your pain and suffering, medical bills, lost earnings and diminution of your ability to enjoy life. You will need an experienced attorney to argue your case and to obtain a fair recovery for you. Contact the Law Offices of Jonathan D. Sands for a free consultation.

Liability

Who is responsible for your injuries can be quite confusing. The laws governing whether a municipality is responsible for the condition of sidewalks depends on where the accident occurs. The law within the five boroughs of New York City is quite different than the law in Westchester County. Furthermore, the local laws must be analyzed to determine whether they impose liability on landowners for dangerous conditions involving sidewalks. Prior written notice must be proven to maintain a claim against a municipality while no such requirement is necessary for non-municipal defendants.

After identifying the appropriate defendant, you must then prove that that entity owed you a duty to maintain the sidewalk in a reasonably safe condition and that it breached that duty. 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 entity knew or should have known of its existence. But don’t forget that a municipal entity will require prior written notice of the condition. Examples of common dangerous sidewalk conditions include broken or missing pieces of the sidewalk surface, mis-leveled sidewalk flags, objects protruding from the sidewalk such as sawed-off signposts or utility boxes.

Weather conditions can also cause dangerous conditions on sidewalks. Local laws give property owners a certain amount of time after a storm has concluded to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks. If the sidewalks are not cleared, or if the work is done in a poor manner, you have a good basis for a lawsuit should you slip, fall and suffer injury. However, if the storm is in progress when your accident occurs, you will not be able to recover for your injuries.

You should collect evidence

If you are able, collect evidence. If you are not able to act for yourself, you should contact our firm to come to the scene to act on your behalf. You should always seek medical attention first. When your medical needs are tended to, it establishes documentation related to the injury, including the place and relative time where and when it happened. If possible, take pictures of the condition that injured you. This is quite important when it comes to conditions resulting from the weather. Weather-related conditions can change by the minute, so act quickly before they are erased. Try and talk to witnesses that may be able to support your claim when the time comes. If our office is retained to represent you, we will immediately begin the process of securing evidence, although it becomes harder for us to do so if we are not retained close in time to the happening of the accident.

Contact a Westchester firm to assist you after a sidewalk accident

Sidewalk accidents can leave a victim with serious injuries that can devastate one’s future. For nearly 20 years, the Law Offices of Jonathan D. Sands has fought for the rights of clients that have been hurt because of the negligence of others. If you have been injured because of a dangerous sidewalk condition, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, including pain and suffering, medical bills, lost income, and for diminished quality of life. It is important to act quickly. Please contact our office to discuss your case today.