Thousands of people throughout New York wind up needing medical treatment after sliding on a wet floor, falling downstairs or suffering similar kinds of injuries. If you are walking through an apartment complex, office building, store or parking lot, etc., the property owner is obligated to have taken precautions to ensure your safety. If a spill isn’t wiped up in a timely manner or a sidewalk is cracked or there is debris in a walkway, you’re at risk for severe injuries if a slip-and-fall accident occurs.
It’s not always possible for a property manager or owner to immediately remove hazards from a specific location. In such cases, they’re obligated to alert visitors to the hazard with clearly visible signage or by marking the area with brightly colored construction tape, etc. If a property owner is aware of a hazard and fails to alert you, he or she may be financially responsible if you slip and fall and suffer injuries on the premises.
Proving a premises liability case in court is challenging
If you file a premises liability case in court after suffering injuries in a slip-and-fall accident on another person’s property, you will have to provide evidence to convince a judge or jury of several things. First, you must show that the defendant owed a duty to you while you were visiting his or her property. You must also show that he or she failed to fulfill that duty and that his or her negligence was the proximate cause of the injuries that resulted.
The good news is that you need not handle a premises liability claim alone. Gregory P. Haegele, in New York, is dedicated to helping clients gather evidence, including photographs of the scene, eyewitness testimony and accident reports, that can be used in court to substantiate a personal injury claim. By acting alongside experienced legal representation, you also gain a personal advocate who will speak and act on your behalf, which makes the litigation process a lot less stressful.