Walk into any building in New York, and you’ll likely find hundreds of people scurrying about, working, shopping, eating, and playing. With so many people jam-packed into a building, it’s all too easy for its owners to overlook dangerous conditions that could cause someone to have a nasty accident.
If you were hurt in a building that someone else owns, a premises liability attorney in New York can help. Below, learn everything you need to know from a premises liability attorney in NYC.
How a Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help After an Accident
If a property owner’s negligence led to an unsafe condition that caused you to have an accident, your first instinct may be to call a lawyer and sue them into oblivion. After all, if they’d cleaned up that spill or fixed that loose guardrail, you wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place.
Fortunately, it’s possible to sue a building owner if they breached their duty of care to guests. To win your case, though, you’ll likely need the help of a premises liability lawyer in Manhattan.
The best premises liability attorney in NYC can help by:
- Investigating the scene of your accident and speaking to the person who owns the building, as well as witnesses who might have seen the incident
- Requesting evidence from the building owner, such as camera footage, logbooks, and inspection reports, which could prove they were aware of dangerous conditions
- Negotiate with the building owner’s insurance company for a settlement
- Represent you at trial if a settlement agreement cannot be reached
What Compensation Is Available for Victims Who Were Injured in a Building?
Many types of premises liability cases qualify for some kind of settlement. For instance, if you slipped on a grease spill at a restaurant and smashed your head on the tile floor, you could sue for the cost of your medical care. The law allows you to seek damages for current and future treatment.
You can also seek damages for lost wages now and in the future. Some building injuries are so serious that you won’t be able to return to work for months. Suing for damages is one way to help tide yourself over while you recover.
You may also be able to sue for pain and suffering if you sustain a serious injury, such as a fracture or disfigurement.
Where Do Building Accidents Happen in Manhattan?
Building accidents can happen inside virtually any type of building in Manhattan. For example, escalators and elevators can fail in office buildings, causing workers to trip and injure themselves. Restaurants and grocery stores are common accident hotspots, too.
Regardless of where your accident happened, you may have a case against the building owner if they failed to fix a hazard that led to your injuries.
What To Do After a Building Accident in Manhattan
Immediately after a building accident in Manhattan, tell the owner you’ve been injured. If you don’t do this, the owner won’t have a record of your accident. This can be problematic because they could try to say you hurt yourself somewhere else.
It’s also wise to see a doctor. Doing so will help you recover faster and leave an explicit record of your treatment, which will come in handy for your case.
Next, reach out to a premises liability lawyer as soon as possible.
How Common Are Building Accidents in Manhattan?
Perhaps not surprisingly, building accidents are common in Manhattan. Slip-and-fall accidents are among the most prevalent, sending more than one million people to the emergency room annually.
Fires are less common, but they still kill an unfortunate number of people each year. In 2021, 13 out of every one million people lost their lives in a fire-related incident.
Struck-by accidents are also fairly common. In 2021, nearly 500 workers perished from being struck by an object at their place of employment.
Common Types of Premises Liability Cases and Injuries
Examples of premises liability cases include:
- Tripping on broken stairs
- Slipping on a spill at a store or restaurant
- Being attacked by someone’s dog
- Suffering an assault in a building from lack of security
Manhattan Building Accident Resources
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website is a helpful resource for accident prevention in buildings, particularly for employers and employees. The New York City Bar Association also has useful information about premises liability cases.
If you’ve had an accident in a building and want to file a claim against the owner, contact a premises liability lawyer in New York at (718) 855-2324.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the negligence law in New York?
New York’s negligence law allows victims to seek compensation for their injuries in proportion to the fault of other parties. This is called “contributory negligence.” To illustrate, assume you were running in a grocery store and slipped on a piece of lettuce in the produce department. The store is partially to blame for not cleaning up the lettuce, but you wouldn’t have fallen if you hadn’t been running. Your settlement or award would be reduced by how much of the blame you share.
Can you sue for pain and suffering in New York?
It’s possible to sue for pain and suffering in New York, but your case will need to meet certain criteria for you to do so. Under New York law, you can request non-economic damages, including pain and suffering, for “serious” injuries only. Serious injuries may include fractures, disfigurement, dismemberment, or loss of a fetus.
How long do you have to sue for an accident in New York?
You have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit if you’re injured on someone else’s property in New York. If you go past this deadline, the law won’t allow you to collect compensation for your injuries. This is why it’s vital to contact a premises liability attorney in New York as soon as you’re able.
