Slip & Fall Accidents & Premises Liability

Slip & Fall Accidents & Premises Liability

New York Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you were injured in a slip, trip or fall accident in New York, we may be able to help. As every case is unique, we need to know the specifics of your situation. Call New York Lawyers Team today and get a free, no obligation consultation about your situation. If we handle your case, there may be no fee for our services unless we recover money on your behalf.

Slips, Trips & Falls

According to the National Safety Council (2011) falls are one of the leading causes of injuries in the United States. Workplace injuries, in particular, present a challenge to everyone, as such injuries can occur just about anywhere and at any time.

Occupational Injuries by Age:

  • 14 to 15: 0.0 %
  • 14 to 15: 0.0 %
  • 16 to 19: 2.0 %
  • 16 to 19: 2.0 %
  • 20 to 24: 8.6 %
  • 20 to 24: 8.6 %
  • 25 to 34: 20.7 %
  • 25 to 34: 20.7 %
  • 35 to 44: 21.7 %
  • 35 to 44: 21.7 %
  • 45 to 54: 25.4 %
  • 45 to 54: 25.4 %
  • 55 to 64: 17.9 %
  • 55 to 64: 17.9 %
  • 65 and over: 3.7 %
  • 65 and over: 3.7 %

While some industries will obviously have a higher number of occupational injuries and illnesses than others, those with the largest number of cases in 2014 were the private medical and surgical hospitals (222,300 cases), local government elementary and secondary schools (217,300 cases), and restaurants (192,100 cases). The charts below show those occupations that had the highest number of workplace injuries in 2014:

  • Heavy and tractor-traile
  • Laborers and freight/s
  • Janitors
  • Nursing assistants
  • Police officers
  • Maintenance workers
  • Stock clerks/order fillers
  • Delivery service drivers
  • Construction laborers
  • Corrections officers
  • Firefighters

Of course, some workplaces will have more injuries and illnesses simply because they employ a very large number of workers. Taking into account employment and the number of hours worked by employees, industries with high injury and illness rates included nursing facilities and police/fire/corrections organizations.

Occupational Group Injuries in New York

  • Transportation and material moving: 19.6 %
  • Production: 10.4 %
  • Installation, maintenance, repair: 9.1 %
  • onstruction and extraction: 8.6 %
  • Office and administrative support: 7.9 %
  • Building and grounds cleaning and maint: 8.1 %
  • Protective services: 7.6 %
  • Food preparation and serving: 7.4 %
  • Healthcare practitioners and technical : 6.2 %
  • Healthcare support: 6.2 %
  • Sales and related: 5.4 %
  • Education and training: 3.5 %

Slips, trips, and falls also present a major challenge when it comes to deciding who is responsible for such incidents. For example, some 25% of occupational injuries will require time off from work, and determining the cause of such accidents and who should pay for the related costs can be extremely difficult to determine.

In general, a business or property owner must keep his or her property safe for anyone lawfully on the property. However, just because someone suffered an injury on the property does not automatically imply that the owner is liable. First, the condition that caused the fall or injury must be determined. If it can be shown that the conditions are such that the safety of those on the property is indeed unsafe, the property owner may then be held liable for any resulting injuries that occur.For example, having a display counter in the middle of an aisle may not be dangerous, but if the display is low and in a location where it could create a tripping hazard for someone turning into the isle, that is another matter.

There are other issues that also should be considered, such as the visitor’s legal status (see below), whether the owner knew of the condition, and if the injured person should have done more to avoid the accident. If you are the victim of a slip, trip, or fall, a New York Lawyers Team slip and fall lawyer will be experienced with all of these issues and can help you during the entire legal process. It is always best to call and consult with an attorney if at all in doubt when you are a victim of any type of slip and fall due to landlord negligence, an injury in the workplace, a slip, trip, or fall at a retail location, or on other public property location where your safety has been compromised due to the negligence of those responsible for maintaining a safe environment.There are numerous defenses a property owner will typically raise in challenging a premises liability claim.

One common issue arises when the owner has no idea the accident happened on their property until days or weeks after the incident. Therefore, whenever possible, you should notify the owner or manager of the property immediately. Most retail stores will take incident reports if notified at the time of the accident.Despite the challenges in proving these cases, our New York personal injury law firm has had great success in recovering money for our clients though verdicts and settlements. We understand the specific issues involved and are prepared to fully litigate your claim.

Some important statistics you should be aware of:

  • Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%).
  • Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits, or 12% of total falls.
  • Fractures are the most serious consequences of falls and occur in 5% of all people who fall.
  • Slips and falls do not constitute a primary cause of fatal occupational injuries, but represent the primary cause of lost days from work.
  • Slips and falls are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims and are the leading cause of occupational injury for people aged 55 years and older.
  • 95 million workdays per year are lost due to slip and fall injuries.
  • 85% of worker’s compensation claims are attributed to employees slipping on slick floors (Industrial Safety & Occupational Health Markets 5th edition)22% of slip/fall incidents resulted in more than 31 days away from work (US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2002).
  • Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).
  • Occupational fatalities due to falls are approximately 600 per year down from 1200 during since the 1970s.Total injuries due to falls estimated at $13-14 million per year in U.S.
  • Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury, resulting in 20.8 percent of all emergency room visits in 1995. (Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 11.9 percent of ER visits.)
  • Disabling (temporary and permanent) occupational injuries due to falls are approximately $250,000-$300,000 per year.

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