Have you been injured at a business in New York City? You can get compensation for any type of injury; “slip and falls" are just the most common way that people get hurt. Property owners often neglect their floors, leaving them wet, slippery, uneven, or unrepaired.
All property owners in New York have a “duty of care" to keep their properties in reasonably safe condition. That means they’re supposed to both warn visitors about potential hazards when they find them and get them repaired or remedied as quickly as possible. The potential for liability is large enough that some companies are even testing out robots to handle the clean-up for them.
Note: this post is about falling at a business; if you get hurt on a government property the process is slightly different and involves rapid-fire deadlines that you’ll need to meet in order to receive compensation.
Take it Seriously
One of the biggest mistakes we see our clients making is that they treat slips and falls like minor incidents. Sometimes they are—and sometimes the hurt shows up later.
We recommend getting medical attention and reporting the accident any time you slip and fall at a business, or sustain any other injury. You can always decide not to press a claim later if the injury really does turn out to be minor, but if the situation is more severe than you think you’ll be very glad that you took these preliminary steps later.
It is very difficult to go back and prove that your injuries stemmed from the fall but were more serious than you initially thought, even if that’s the simple truth.
We also recommend taking photographs and getting witness information no matter what as well. Finally, stopping to document events directly after your fall is a good way to keep all the details fresh in your memory, and can serve as evidence that will help you make your case later.
Call an Attorney
If your injuries were serious enough right away to require a visit to the ER or a ride in an ambulance then you should call our NYC slip and fall lawyers almost as soon as you’re medically capable of sitting up and looking for one.
The reason for this is twofold. First, slip and fall cases aren’t like car accident cases. The property owner doesn’t have to provide insurance information right away. This means you’ll generally need an attorney to make any kind of claim.
Second, big companies aren’t going to take you seriously unless you have an attorney working with you. At best they’ll issue some lowball offer that won’t begin to cover your injuries. At worst, they’ll ignore you entirely.
They can’t do that when you’re working with an attorney.
In addition, eventually an insurance adjuster will enter the scene. You don’t want to talk to that person. You want your attorney to talk to that person, instead. Allowing your attorney to handle the case means avoiding major mistakes that could completely devalue it.
Finally, the store or office where you got hurt may not be the only responsible party. As your lawyers, we work hard to identify those parties and hold them accountable.
Some slip and fall injuries are literally life-changing. Don’t miss out on getting the compensation you’ll need to navigate your case. Contact our office to get help today.
