Can I sue the City after a New York City slip and fall?
Frequently, discussions about slip-and-fall scenarios focus on private property. People fall while shopping at a store or slip on an icy sidewalk next to a residential property. They can break bones or hurt their brains when they fall. In such scenarios, individual property owners or businesses are potentially liable for the incident.
However, slips and falls can occur almost anywhere people visit, including public property. Those living in or visiting New York City may regularly use municipal infrastructure. From city-owned parks and bathrooms to rented spaces where the City government operates, many facilities in New York City technically belong to the City itself.
If people slip and fall while on City property, do they have grounds to take legal action against the City?
Government slip-and-fall claims are different
Technically, property owners, landlords and tenants can be responsible for unsafe facilities regardless of who the property owner actually is. The City has the same basic duty of care as individual homeowners or businesses. People visiting a space owned or rented by the City have a reasonable expectation of safety.
The failure to maintain reasonably safe premises can result in liability if visitors get hurt. However, the requirements for those injured on City property are slightly different. Typically, they have to report the injury within 90 days. That requirement is in addition to the standard statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits.
The injured party also has to prove that the City was negligent regarding the maintenance of the facilities or any warning signage posted advising of property conditions. Other reasonable people have to agree that the property conditions were unsafe.
Those hurt on public property often need help understanding their rights and adhering to the strict rules that apply to public property slip-and-fall cases. With the right information, people with broken bones or brain injuries caused by a slip-and-fall can seek reimbursement for their losses.
A successful claim might result in compensation for medical expenses, property damage losses and even lost wages generated by the slip-and-fall incident. Taking prompt action after a slip-and-fall incident can protect an individual’s right to pursue compensation. People hoping to hold the City accountable for unsafe facilities may require support as they navigate the personal injury claims process.