New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyer
When walking in New York, you probably expect the places you visit to be reasonably safe and well-maintained. Unfortunately, property owners and government entities don’t always take the necessary steps to keep areas free of hazards that cause slips, trips, and other severe injuries. If you or a loved one have been injured in a slip and fall accident in New York, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Table of Contents
- Trusted Legal Resource for Slip, Trip, and Fall Victims in New York
- Do You Have a Valid Slip, Trip, and Fall Case in New York?
- Understanding New York’s Laws on Slip, Trip, and Falls
- Liable Parties in Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawsuits in New York
- How Can Lever & Ecker’s Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyers Help?
- How Fault is Determined in a New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Case
- Damages in Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawsuits in New York
- Time limit to File a Slip, Trip, and Fall Claim in New York
- Serving All Cities, Counties, and Municipalities in New York State
- Contact Our New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyers Today
Trusted Legal Resource for Slip, Trip, and Fall Victims in New York
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our New York personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping injury victims hold negligent property owners accountable. We are motivated by helping injured people pursue justice, and our attorneys take a hands-on approach to every client’s matter, guiding them through each step of the legal process.
As an experienced and skilled personal injury firm in New York, Lever & Ecker has over 70 years of combined experience serving slip, trip, and fall victims. Everything we do is in the best interest of our clients, so you can expect top-tier legal representation with an open line of communication.
Notable Slip, Trip, and Fall Case Results
Client Testimonial
A Surgeon’s Story: A Devastating Fall, Paralysis, and the Journey to Recovery
“Lever & Ecker have been great … they are there for you 100%, 24 hours a day and they don’t just say those things, they actually mean it.”
“I had just left work after a really hard day and was heading home, thinking about my patients and the day. In a parking facility, I had a fall and injured my left leg, requiring reconstructive surgery. I also suffered a spinal cord injury that left me completely paralyzed on my right side, from my neck down to my hand. I was unable to walk for quite some time and was in a cast, unable to care for myself due to my paralyzed arm, which was really difficult. Lever & Ecker have been great throughout everything, always checking up on me and making sure I had what I needed. Their communication is fabulous; they are there for you 100% of the time, and they truly mean it. They are amazing human beings as well as professionals, and I feel very fortunate to have their help in my life. I would definitely recommend Lever & Ecker. I don’t even know another name to recommend because I think they are fabulous. They genuinely have everyone’s best interests at heart. They always emphasized honesty and trust, and I think that’s really special. I would absolutely recommend them to anybody.”
Tiffany
Do You Have a Valid Slip, Trip, and Fall Case in New York?
A slip and fall accident occurs when someone slips on another person’s property and suffers an injury due to the fall. When the accident involves a hazard that causes you to trip or slip and fall, it is generally called a slip and fall accident. Depending on the circumstances of your slip, trip, or fall, you may have a claim against the property owner, the management company, the tenant, or anyone else responsible.
New York operates under a comparative negligence system, meaning that personal injury victims who were partially responsible for their accident can still recover some compensation. In New York, if you are partially at fault for your injury or accident, your compensation award will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
Common Injuries for New York Slip and Fall Accident Victims
Injuries from slip, trip, or fall accidents in New York can be extremely serious–in fact, falls are a leading cause of death for people over age 65. Even non-fatal falls can lead to severe, sometimes lifelong injuries, including:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Fractured bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Bruises
- Lacerations
Causes of Slips, Trips, and Falls in New York City
Countless hazards can cause slip, trip, or fall accidents in New York, especially in winter when walking surfaces are wet and slippery. Some of the most common causes of slips, trips, and falls in New York include:
- Recently mopped, waxed, or cleaned floors without “Wet Floor” warnings
- Melted snow or ice
- Puddles caused by leaks or rain
- Poor lighting
- Broken or cracked walkways or sidewalks
- Unexpected steps without warnings
- Potholes
- Loose or broken floorboards, tiles, handrails, balcony rails, or stairs
Katherine A. Henderson
Associate Attorney
Slip and fall accidents in New York often result from hazardous conditions like uncleared snow and ice after a storm or spills in stores that aren’t promptly cleaned or marked with warnings. While staying vigilant can help, hazards aren’t always easy to spot, especially in busy environments.
Where Do Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents Happen in New York?
In New York, slip, trip, and fall accidents can happen anywhere, including at work, at home, in stores, or while walking down the street. In larger cities, slip, trip, and fall accidents commonly happen near public places of business every day. Some of the most common places where slips, trips, and falls can occur in New York include:
- Parking lots and garages
- Sidewalks
- Grocery stores
- Construction sites
- Retail stores
- Gas stations
- Office buildings
- City sidewalks and roadways
- Tourist attractions
- Apartment buildings and condos
- Restaurants
- Public swimming pools, parks, and playgrounds
“I had just left work after a really hard day and was heading home, thinking about my patients and the day. In a parking facility, I had a fall and injured my left leg, requiring reconstructive surgery.”
Tiffany
Understanding New York’s Laws on Slip, Trip, and Falls
New York slip, trip, and fall accidents are covered by state premises liability law, which states that business owners, homeowners, and property managers have a duty to maintain the safety of their premises by inspecting their property, addressing dangerous conditions, and taking precautions to prevent injuries.
Premises liability rules differ when the liable party is a state or municipal government agency. When you slip, trip, or fall on government-owned property, the time you have to file your personal injury lawsuit is shortened. An experienced New York slip, trip, and fall attorney can guide you through this process and ensure you file your lawsuit on time.
Liable Parties in Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawsuits in New York
In New York, businesses, property owners, and municipalities that fail to keep their premises safe are commonly held liable in slip, trip, and fall lawsuits. By failing to inspect their properties and address hazards that can cause injuries, these parties may be responsible for any injuries that occur.
Daniel G. Ecker
Founding Partner
A municipality can be held liable for a trip and fall if it was responsible for the hazardous condition, such as a cracked sidewalk or pothole. However, claims against municipalities have strict deadlines, sometimes as short as 90 days, making it crucial to act quickly and consult a lawyer.
How Can Lever & Ecker’s Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyers Help?
Slip, trip, and fall lawyers at Lever & Ecker, PLLC, will meet you wherever is most convenient, whether at home, the hospital, or over the phone, for a free initial consultation. We will pursue the compensation you deserve by investigating your case, gathering evidence, and building a strong suit against the parties responsible for your injury. Our approach is simple: we listen to you, we guide you, and we help you with what needs to be done right away.
“Lever & Ecker have been great throughout everything, always checking up on me and making sure I had what I needed. Their communication is fabulous; they are there for you 100% of the time, and they truly mean it. They are amazing human beings as well as professionals, and I feel very fortunate to have their help in my life. I would definitely recommend Lever & Ecker.”
Tiffany
How Fault is Determined in a New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Case
By gathering all available evidence and interviewing witnesses and experts, our attorneys can identify the party or parties at fault in your case. We will work to prove that the responsible party knew of and failed to address hazards on their property promptly and that you were injured as a result.
Daniel G. Ecker
Founding Partner
In New York slip and fall cases, liability is proven by showing the responsible party had notice of the hazard or created it. Actual notice means they knew and failed to fix it, while constructive notice applies if they should have known and had time to act. For example, a store isn’t liable if someone slips seconds after a spill, but if it remains for 20–30 minutes, they are responsible for failing to clean it up.
Damages in Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawsuits in New York
In a slip, trip, and fall lawsuit, injured victims may be able to recover damages to compensate them for their injuries and other losses. Non-economic damages aim to compensate victims for non-quantifiable losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In contrast, economic damages aim to compensate victims for financial losses, such as medical bills, rehabilitative care costs, past and future lost wages, and lost earning capacity.
Daniel G. Ecker
Founding Partner
Every case is unique, with many factors determining its value. These include the severity of injuries, treatments like surgery, recovery progress, lost income, and whether limitations will persist. Future medical needs, career impact, and the ability to work also play a role in assessing compensation.
Time limit to File a Slip, Trip, and Fall Claim in New York
The New York personal injury statute of limitations typically gives slip, trip, and fall victims three years from the date of their injury to file a lawsuit.
Lawsuits against state and local governments or municipalities have specific rules that impact the time limit for filing a slip, trip, and fall lawsuit. For example, when filing a suit against a state or local government agency, you must file a notice of claim within 90 days of your injury and then file your lawsuit within a year of that notice.
An attorney can assist you in determining the specific statute of limitations for your case and ensure you file all necessary paperwork on time.
Daniel G. Ecker
Founding Partner
After a slip, trip, or fall accident in New York, you typically have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. However, this deadline can be much shorter if a municipality is involved.
Serving All Cities, Counties, and Municipalities in New York State
Cities We Serve
- White Plains
- Yonkers
- The Bronx
- Brooklyn
- New Rochelle
- Harrison
- Mount Vernon
- Mount Pleasant
- Greenburgh
- Port Chester
- Ossining
- Riverdale
- Mott Haven
- Belmont
Counties We Serve
- Westchester County
- Bronx County
- Queens County
- Kings County
- Rockland County
- Putnam County
- Orange County
- Dutchess County
Contact Our New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyers Today
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our award-winning New York lawyers have more than 70 years of combined experience helping injured people achieve justice. With offices in White Plains, the Bronx, and Queens, we handle the legal process on behalf of our clients throughout New York State, including all five boroughs of New York City, all of Westchester County, and the surrounding counties.
We offer free case evaluations, and when you work with us, you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case. To get started on your case, contact Lever & Ecker today online or by calling one of our offices:
- White Plains: (914) 288-9191
- Bronx: (718) 933-3632
- Queens: (347) 391-6337
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