Who Is Responsible for a Slip and Fall Injury?

Slip and fall accidents happen when someone slips, trips, or falls because of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property. In a place as big as Manhattan, it’s a daily occurrence in retail stores, pedestrian areas, residential premises, office buildings, hotels, healthcare institutions, and many more.

When you or a loved one are hurt in a slip and fall type of incident, you may wonder who is responsible for the injury. The answer to that will depend on where you sustained your injury and if the owner of that property was negligent in their duty of care, leading to your injuries.

What Causes Slip and Fall Injuries to Occur?

According to a slip and fall lawyer | Gray Law Firm, many slip and fall accidents are preventable. There are many different scenarios where you could be injured in a slip and fall accident. You may be dining at a restaurant or shopping at the supermarket and slip on spilled food, liquids, or other substances.

When you walk into the lobby of your office building on a rainy or snowy day, the floors may be wet from everyone entering the building. Floors should never be left in such a condition in high-traffic areas.

Slip and fall accidents can occur from broken or missing tiles, torn carpet, haphazard cords in a hallway, unmarked or uneven steps, poor lighting, and broken handrails. Most of the time, these incidents cause mild injuries, but not everyone is so lucky. Some fall accidents will require you to be rushed to the hospital for immediate medical care. You may have broken bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or internal injuries. In some cases, these injuries are so severe that they wind up being fatal.

Discovering Who Is Liable for Your Slip and Fall Injuries

The responsible party for your injuries will depend on where you were injured. It is always a good idea to seek representation from an attorney experienced with slip and fall cases to make sure you have a valid claim. Even if you have a valid claim, a large corporation may try to frame it so you look like you were the careless one in the incident.

Retail establishments like stores and supermarkets are common places where slip and falls occur. If you were hurt in this setting, the property owner will be responsible for your injuries. They must keep the premises safe and in the event of spills or other hazards, they must either clear it immediately or provide signage warning patrons of the danger.

Hotels, restaurants, pubs, and other places like these must keep secure premises. The owner, management, or the operator of these establishments could be responsible for your injuries.

If you slip and fall on public walkways or in pedestrian spaces, you may be able to sue the New York City Department of Transportation. This entity is responsible for keeping these areas safe. You will most certainly want an attorney to represent you if you are injured in this way as a lawsuit with the city can be incredibly complex.

Office buildings or residential properties such as apartments can also be tricky places to determine who is responsible for slip and fall injuries. It will all depend on the conditions of the lease agreement and may potentially involve the property owner, building management, or even individual tenants.

Property owners and managers must keep common areas like staircases, corridors, and lobbies safe. With the help of a personal injury attorney, you’ll be able to find out who is responsible for compensating you for your injuries. In this way, you can focus on healing and let someone with legal expertise help you navigate the claims process.