Who Should Be Held Liable for My New York Slip and Fall Accident?
Did you know that slip and fall accidents are one of the most common and dangerous types of personal injury? In fact, according to the National Safety Council, over 36,000 people died as a result of slip and fall injury in the year 2016 alone. These statistics make it clear that the potentially disastrous effects of slip and fall accidents should not be underestimated.
One of the most dangerous things about slip and fall accidents is that they can happen anytime, anywhere. Each season brings with it a new set of risks. In the state of New York, for instance, it is not uncommon for icy conditions to create a huge slip and fall risk. Do you know what to do if you have a New York slip and fall injury?
Reasonable Duty of Care
Legally speaking, all property owners and property maintenance staff in New York are obligated to fulfill a reasonable duty of care to property visitors. Among other things, this means that they must take all proper precautions to minimize any potential risk factors. If the 
property owners and/or property maintenance staff fail to keep the property hazard-free, they could be determined negligent in their duty of care. If you feel your New York slip and fall accident was a direct result of the property owner’s carelessness, you may want to consider filing a personal injury claim.
Liability in Slip and Fall Cases
There are many different things a property owner could do to be deemed negligent in the eyes of the court. For example, they may have failed to clear away any obtrusive ice or snow on their walkways. Or perhaps they simply failed to address a recurring, pre-existing risk factor. For instance, maybe there is an awning that consistently drips melted snow onto a nearby walkway. This could easily pose a potential slip and fall risk for any unassuming visitors.
In the state of New York, property owners can be held liable for dangerous conditions on their property—even if they had not been made aware of them beforehand. As long as the property owner contributed to and allowed the unsafe conditions to remain and could reasonably foresee its dangers to the public, they can be held liable for them in court.
Seeking Legal Help
Dealing with slip and fall accidents can be incredibly stressful. No matter what kind of personal injury accident you have recently suffered, you have the right to seek legal help and compensation from a New York personal injury lawyer. Contact the law firm of Gattuso & Ciottoli, PLLC any time day or night at (315) 314-8000 for a free consultation drawing on over 50 years of combined legal experience. Our offices are based in Syracuse and we proudly serve the Central New York area, including Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, North Syracuse, Camillus, Liverpool, Cortland, and Auburn. You should not have to pick up after someone else’s mistakes. We have helped countless clients with their New York slip and fall accident cases before. Let us help you too.