Slips, Trips and Falls

From the shops to the restaurants to the crowded streets and sidewalks of New York City and the Bronx, the attorneys at the Law Office of William A. Gallina, PLLC provides aggressive and effective representation to recover compensation for people who have suffered a personal injury due to a slip and fall or a trip and fall on unsafe and dangerous premises, whether the accident occurred on private or municipal property.

Duty to Maintain Premises

Property owners owe a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition so that people coming onto the property do not suffer an injury from dangerous or unsafe conditions. This duty may include a responsibility to make reasonable, periodic inspections of the property and to repair or remedy any dangerous conditions or post an adequate warning about any danger that is not obvious. For instance, a recently-mopped floor can be hazardous to walk on, but it may not be obvious that the floor is wet unless a sign is displayed.

Common causes of slips, trips & falls due to negligence of the property owner include:

• Broken or missing handrail
• Icy sidewalk
• Cracked or broken sidewalk
• Broken stair
• Wet floor
• Unmarked step
• Obstacle on the floor
• Defective carpet

Complicated Issues of Premises Liability

Proving the property owner's liability usually requires proving that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition but did nothing to prevent it. This is not always an easy matter. Take the case of a food or drink spill in a grocery store or restaurant-the spill may be caused by a worker or a customer, and the management may not be immediately aware of it. How long is it reasonable for a spill to stay on the floor before it is cleaned up? How do you prove how long the spill was there before the accident occurred? These questions can be answered, but it may require proving a case with expert testimony and circumstantial evidence. Our lawyers are skilled and experienced in handling such matters and know how to properly investigate and prepare a case of premises liability.

Another important aspect of the premises liability case is determining who is the responsible party. Is it the property owner, the property manager, or a lessee or renter? If the accident occurred on a sidewalk, is the property owner or the city responsible? In New York City, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalk adjoining their property, while the city is responsible for maintaining the curb. If a person trips because the sidewalk and curb were uneven, who is responsible? Our firm has the skill and experience to quickly investigate an accident and determine the responsible party or parties.

Serious Injuries Require Serious Results

A slip or trip and fall can cause serious, painful injuries, including hip, ankle and wrist fractures, neck and back injuries with permanent damage to the spinal cord, or traumatic brain injury from a skull fracture. We take every case seriously, and we fight to get results. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a fall on unsafe or dangerous premises, contact the Law Office of William A. Gallina, PLLC.