Winter in NYC means mountains of snow piled on the curb and the ice that drains from underneath them, causing people to slip and get hurt. While some of these falls are accidents, others are completely avoidable had the property manager lived up to their duty of care.
When an avoidable slip and fall leaves someone with injuries, it’s crucial that the injured person knows their options for pursuing justice.
Was the Property Owner at Fault?
To hold a property owner responsible for a slip and fall, you need to demonstrate a few key elements. These are as follows:
- There was a hazard on the property (in this case snow and ice).
- The property owner (or their employees) were aware of the hazard, caused it, or should have reasonably been aware of it (if it’s snowing, everyone knows).
- You suffered an injury because they failed to address the hazard.
In the case of winter slip and falls, landlords and business owners alike have a duty to keep their property free of dangerous ice and snow.
For example, if water dripped from the roof of your apartment and turned to ice on your stoop, it would be your landlord’s responsibility to ensure that ice is clear as soon as possible.
That said, if the ice goes unreported, the landlord could claim ignorance and say they did not know there was a hazard and they thought the stairs were safe. When that happens, it’s time to contact a personal injury attorney.
Holding Them Accountable
When you hire a personal injury attorney, you can rest a little easier knowing they will uncover as much evidence as they can to hold the negligent property owner accountable. When you hire an attorney, they’ll handle all the hard work so you can focus on recovering from your injury.
If you’d like an experienced New York City injury accident attorney from Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices to evaluate your case, don’t hesitate to call us at (718) 690-3132 or send us an email.