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Icy Sidewalk Falls: A Guide to Prevention

Icy Sidewalk Falls: A Guide to Prevention

Winter in New York City is no joke. The chance of slipping on icy surfaces means a greater risk of broken bones, soft tissue injuries, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. As a home or business owner, you can be held responsible for injuries that result from passerby slipping on an icy sidewalk. The city required property owners to keep the sidewalks safe and free from ice and snow.

Property owners or managers may not have received an official notice regarding clearing a sidewalk, and it is assumed that the responsible parties are aware of dangers, and have proactively addressed the problem. Pedestrians should also protect themselves by looking out for their own safety. Everyone can do their part to reduce the number of slip and fall accidents this year by taking a few simple precautions.

Simple Tips to Prevent Icy Sidewalk Injuries

There’s no way to entirely eliminate the risk of a slip and fall on an icy sidewalk. However, with a little foresight, you can reduce the chances of a slip and fall. Consider taking these simple measures that increase safety for yourself and others over the long winter months.

  • Keep the sidewalk in front of your home and business free of ice. Shovel away snow as soon as it falls to prevent accumulation and compression. If there is already ice, use a dissolving agent such as rock salt to melt it and scrape the remaining ice and snow off the sidewalk completely.
  • In addition to salt, apply sand to slippery walking surfaces. Sand adds traction to the surface and makes it easier to walk on.
  • Make sure your sidewalk is well lit. Slippery surfaces and poor lighting are a disaster waiting to happen. Keep any stairs illuminated with durable outdoor lights.
  • Wear shoes with excellent traction. Carry other shoes with you and change when you reach your location, rather than wearing leather-soled or other footwear that make it more possible to slip in icy or snowy conditions.
  • Walk cautiously when using sidewalks. During the winter, assume you are likely to encounter a slippery surface at any time. So, walk a little more slowly than usual and take cautious steps.
  • Don’t place your hands in your pockets. A slip and fall is far more dangerous if you are unable to break your fall.
  • Walk like a penguin. It sounds amusing, but walking with a wide stance, spreading your arms apart and “waddling” slightly widens your center of gravity. It will be harder to get knocked off your feet in slippery conditions.
  • Try to keep your eyes ahead, rather than focused strictly on the ground. Walking while looking at the sidewalk can make it more possible to lose your balance.

Help for New Yorkers Who Fell on Icy Sidewalk

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Can I Get Financial Compensation If I Fell On an Icy Sidewalk?

Can I Get Financial Compensation If I Fell On an Icy Sidewalk?

Low temperatures combined with inclement weather can turn New York City sidewalks into a dangerous situation for pedestrians. We’ve all experienced that moment of slipping on an icy surface, and throwing our arms out to try to break a fall. What if we really do fall, and suffer serious slip and fall injuries? Slipping on the sidewalk can cause broken bones, back injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or in the most terrible cases, death.

In New York City, homeowners and business owners are expected to keep the stretch of sidewalk in front of their premises free of ice and snow. If you fell on icy sidewalk in New York City, you may be able to bring a claim against the party who is responsible for that stretch of sidewalk, and get compensation for your injuries. The key is to show that the owner was negligent by failing to handle the unsafe condition, as required by law.

What To Do If You Fell on an Icy Sidewalk in New York City

Home and business owners can receive notification of unsafe conditions in one of two ways. First, the city can send them official notice about the icy sidewalk. This is called “actual notice.” The property owner or manager may be assumed to have recognized the unsafe conditions by observation. This is called “consecutive notice.” That means that it’s rarely a good defense on the part of a home or business owner to claim they were unaware that the sidewalk was icy and dangerous. Property owners and managers are required to act with reasonable care in handling icy conditions, and correct the problem.

If you fell on icy sidewalk, you need to take a few important steps to increase your odds of receiving compensation:

  • The first action is always to seek medical attention. It is important to get a full medical assessment after a fall even if you believe you are uninjured. You may have internal injuries, or symptoms that only manifest a day or two later.
  • Seeking medical attention provides you with a record of receiving treatment for your injuries, an important factor in a slip and fall accident claim.
  • Get as much evidence about the fall as possible. You can take photos of the sidewalk, and obtain contact information from eyewitnesses.
  • Speak with an experienced slip and fall attorney. Your lawyer will review the facts in your case, examine the evidence, and determine who was responsible for your fall. Your attorney will compile all the relevant evidence and present it to the insurance company of the negligent party to seek full compensation.

Contact an Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney

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Filing an Injury Claim After Being Hit By a Taxi in New York

Filing an Injury Claim After Being Hit By a Taxi in New York

The sight of yellow taxi cabs part of the fabric of New York City. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, taxis are a big part of life in our city. Unfortunately, the high numbers of cabs make it far more likely that a pedestrian can be hit by a taxi. Accidents involving taxis often have very serious consequences. In the period between July 2014 and September 2015, 43 licensed taxi (or limousine) 43 licensed taxi (or limousine) drivers were involved in accidents that caused serious injury or death in New York City.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a taxi, you will need to speak with an experienced attorney. Once you file an injury claim, you may be able to receive compensation for costs associated with your injuries. The damages include the costs of treatment, lost wages, as well as non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or loss of quality of life. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on an individual basis. Our firm can help.

What to Do After Being Hit By a Taxi

After being hit by a taxi in New York, it’s important that you take the following key steps:

  • If you are able, note the name of the driver, and the taxi cab’s number. This information is displayed in the cab.
  • Call the police to the scene of the accident, even if it appears to be a minor injury. The police report can be a critical part of the evidence in an injury claim.
  • Get medical attention. The adrenaline produced by the body after an accident can mask serious injuries. Closed head injuries can be fatal if not treated at once.
  • If you can, get contact information from witnesses who observed the accident.
  • Continue to monitor your medical state. Injuries and symptoms of trauma can take several days to surface. Keep notes on your physical condition, and ensure that you inform your doctor that you were hit by a taxi while crossing the street so it is noted in your medical records.
  • Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to manage your claim or lawsuit to recover compensation.
  • Do not make a statement to an insurance company representative who contacts you without first speaking with your lawyer.

Help For Victims Hit By Taxi Drivers

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Too Many Injuries and Deaths to People Hit by a Car While Crossing the Street

Too Many Injuries and Deaths to People Hit by a Car While Crossing the Street

In many ways, New York City is fantastic for pedestrians. The city is easy to navigate, and moving through the city by foot can be a pleasant activity. Unfortunately, pedestrians are also very vulnerable in New York. According to the New York City Department of Transportation, pedestrians accounted for 52% of all fatal traffic accidents in the city between 2005 and 2009. More than a third of the time, when people were hit by a car while crossing the street, it was because a driver was inattentive or reckless in operating the vehicle. Sadly, pedestrians are ten times more likely to be killed than the driver in such a collision. If you were hit by a car while crossing the street, and the driver was at fault, you have a right to pursue compensation for damages.

How Pedestrian Accidents Are Caused

Most New York City intersections are well sign-posted, and it is clear when pedestrians have the right of way to cross a street. Nonetheless, even the most careful pedestrian who only crosses legally can be at risk of being hit by a car while crossing the street. Some common ways these accidents happen include:

  • Speeding: When drivers speed through busy intersections, they risk hitting pedestrians who have the right of way. A speeding driver is unable to stop the vehicle fast enough, and may not even check for oncoming cars or pedestrians.
  • Drivers failing to yield: It’s common to see cars and taxis alike edging into the crosswalk on a red light, quickly turning right or left, and failing to observe a pedestrian. Even at low speeds, drivers who fail to yield can cause serious injuries to those who are hit while legally crossing the street.
  • Driver errors while turning: Even when vehicles have the green light, drivers must check carefully to ensure that no pedestrians are crossing at the intersection.
  • Distracted driving: If a driver’s hands and eyes are on a cellphone, a conversation, or other distraction, rather than the road ahead, it becomes far more possible to miss the presence of a pedestrian, and cause a serious injury accident.

Hit By a Car While Crossing the Street? Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

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