During winter, people suffer slip-and-fall injuries often due to inclement weather. Not all slip-and-fall injuries are unavoidable because property owners have a legal obligation to promptly clear ice and snow from their premises and sidewalks.
It is common for property owners to wait too long after a storm to clear the snow or use the appropriate products to prevent water from turning into ice, which can easily lead to a slip-and-fall injury.
Slip-and-fall injuries can be serious and traumatic. Slipping and falling can lead to severe injuries like:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Broken bones
- Concussions, and more.
Some of these injuries can require surgery to mend; even worse, some people never fully recover from these injuries.
What can I do if I suffer a slip-and-fall injury in New York?
It is understandable for you to experience feelings of anger, frustration and helplessness because in many cases, the property owner could have prevented the accident.
Generally, if the property owner creates a dangerous situation that leads to someone suffering an injury on their property, the property owner can be held liable. Under New York law, anyone who owns, leases, occupies or controls a property must maintain that property safely.
What happens if the property owner was not there?
In the same way, if the property owner knew or reasonably should have known of an unsafe condition and did not fix it within a reasonable period of time, and those actions lead to your slipping and falling, the property owner can also be held liable for causing that injury.
Consequences of slip-and-fall injuries
Slip-and-fall injuries can be painful and interrupt your life significantly. It is understandable to want to hold the property owner liable for your injuries if they owed you a duty and your injury occurred as a direct cause of their negligence.
For that, it is important to keep as much evidence as possible. If you need assistance navigating the legal system, seek the assistance of an experienced professional who can guide you through the process.