Staten Island Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer
If you’ve slipped and fallen in Staten Island and were on someone else’s property when it happened, you may be entitled to compensation. However, property owners and their insurance carriers will work hard to get you from getting the money you deserve.
Give yourself the upper by calling the experienced Staten Island slip and fall accident lawyers at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers for help. We offer a free consultation, so contact our NYC law office to schedule a time to discuss the details of your case today.
Table of Contents
Why You Need a Staten Island Personal Injury Lawyer After a Slip and Fall
Slip, trip, and fall accidents can cause serious, debilitating injuries. And, many times, these accidents are avoidable. However, they happen because businesses and owners are negligent and don’t take proper care of their property. If your fall is the consequence of negligence, you may have a legitimate claim for damages.
You can make the claims process easier and increase the odds of a successful recovery by enlisting the help of an experienced Staten Island personal injury attorney.
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers has 40+ years of experience fighting on behalf of slip and fall accident victims across all five boroughs of New York City, including Staten Island. Our relentless pursuit of financial justice has helped us recover tens of millions in settlements and verdicts for our clients. If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall through little to no fault of your own, you can count on us to fight for you, too.
We will:
- Give your case the time and attention it deserves
- Offer compassionate – yet candid – legal support throughout the process
- Coordinate a prompt investigation into your slip and fall to ensure that evidence is preserved
- Analyze accident reports, witness statements, photographs, medical records, and other evidence that might be relevant to your case to determine causation and liability
- Handle all conversations with the property owner and their insurance company
- Help you make important decisions related to your case, such as whether it’s best to settle or take your case to court
Our personal injury lawyers in Staten Island are ready to help you fight to maximize your financial recovery. To get started, simply give our law firm a call to set up a time to discuss your case in detail. Your first consultation is free.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents on Staten Island
Slip and fall accidents typically happen as a result of:
- Loose floorboards
- Unsecured rugs and railings
- Broken stairs
- The buildup of ice and snow
- Stray electrical wires
- Puddles and slippery surfaces
- Debris and garbage
Following a slip and fall, it’s important to make note of what caused the accident. Take photographs and be sure to include those details when reporting the fall to management or the property owner. This information will be critical down the line if you decide to file an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Property Owners Have a Duty to Keep You Safe From Slips and Falls
In New York, anyone who owns property assumes certain legal obligations. Among these, include a duty to keep the premises in a reasonably safe condition for invited visitors and guests. Generally speaking, the highest duty is owed to invitees – those who are visiting premises for the business benefit of the owner.
In order to protect invitees, owners must regularly inspect the premises for dangerous conditions. If a hazard is identified, visitors must be warned, and the issue must be fixed within a reasonable amount of time.
Owners can be liable for slip and fall accidents that happen if they fail to take these steps.
Where Do Slip and Fall Accidents Happen on Staten Island?
A slip and fall accident can happen almost anywhere. At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, our premises liability lawyers regularly represent clients who have suffered slip and fall accidents at:
- Grocery stores
- Big box and warehouse stores, like Target, Lowes, and Costco
- Shopping malls
- Convenience stores
- Restaurants and bars
- Schools and universities
- Government buildings
- Parks and playgrounds
- Entertainment complexes and sport arenas
- Subway platforms
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
Slip and fall accidents don’t just happen inside. Often, they happen in parking lots or on sidewalks. Whoever owns that property – whether it’s a government entity or private individual – can be responsible if you get hurt.
Slip and Fall Accidents Can Be Dangerous
When you slip on a slick surface or unsecured rug, momentum will likely send you flying backward. When you trip on a loose wire or fall because a handrail is broken, momentum will probably cause you to topple forward.
A slip, trip, or fall – no matter the classification – can cause serious and devastating injuries, such as:
- Broken bones
- Joint injury
- Neck and back injury
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Soft tissue damage, including sprains and strains
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Loss of limb
- Wrongful death
When you fall on someone else’s property, you may have the right to hold the owner of the premises accountable. Call Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers to find out how we might be able to help you secure a full financial award.
What is My Slip and Fall Accident Case Worth on Staten Island?
The value of your injury claim will really depend on a lot of different factors. These include the seriousness of your injuries, how your injury will impact your ability to work now and in the future, and the toll the accident takes on you – emotionally and psychologically. As a general rule, the more significant the injuries and suffering, the more an injury case is worth.
At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, we will be there to advocate on your behalf, working hard to secure the full value of all damages to which you are entitled under New York state law. In slip and fall accident cases, victims are often able to recover compensation for:
- Present medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Lost wages
- Disability and reduced earning capacity
- Disfigurement
In support of our pursuits, we will turn to leading accident and injury experts in NYC for help. Medical professionals, accident reconstructionists, therapists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and others can provide insight to bolster our understanding of your injuries. That information can be instrumental in helping us leverage a full financial award on your behalf. Call our slip and fall lawyers to get started on your case today.
A Property Owner Will Probably Try to Blame You For a Fall – Don’t Panic
In New York, anyone who directly or indirectly contributes to a slip and fall accident – including victims – will share liability for the consequences. Sharing blame will directly affect your ability to recover compensation. Under comparative fault rules, the greater your proportionate responsibility, the smaller your award will be.
Let’s say you fall and suffer $100,000 in damages, as a result. If you’re apportioned 40 percent of the blame, your damages will be reduced by that percentage – leaving you will a final take-home award of, at most, $60,000.
Whoever owns the premises where you fell (and their insurance company) will probably try to say that you are responsible (at least in part) for your fall accident. If they are successful, you’ll see that your financial award is reduced or lost altogether.
At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, we are all too familiar with these tactics. We also know that, many times, there’s no evidence to support these allegations of shared fault. We will defend you vigorously, presenting any evidence we’ve uncovered to discredit or disprove the claims.
It’s Important to Get a Jump Start on Your Slip and Fall Accident Case
There are two primary reasons for this.
First, if you fell because an owner failed to fix a hazardous condition, there’s a good chance that the owner will take action shortly after your accident. If they fix the problem, evidence that’s needed to support your claim might be lost forever. You can reduce the chances of this happening by (a) taking photos of the issue, (b) reporting the accident, and (c) calling an attorney immediately.
Second, New York state law imposes limits on personal injury lawsuits – including those stemming from a slip and fall on Staten Island. This means that you’ll likely have up to three years to file your claim. You’ll have even less time – 90 days – if a negligent government entity is named as a defendant.
By calling the slip and fall attorneys at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers right after you get hurt, you can help to ensure that you preserve the right to file a claim and that relevant evidence is safeguarded on your behalf.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Staten Island Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
If you’ve slipped and fallen on someone else’s property on Staten Island, you may be entitled to money for your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering. The Staten Island slip and fall accident lawyers at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers can help you seek maximum compensation from those to blame. Give our law office a call to learn more today. Your first case evaluation is 100% free.