WESTCHESTER COUNTY SLIP AND FALL ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Westchester County

• Uneven surfaces

• Broken, uneven, or holes in pavement

• Slippery floors

• Loose flooring

• Cracks in sidewalk

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Slip and Fall Accidents in Westchester County May Result In Injuries Such As

• Leg/Knee damage

• Traumatic brain injury

• Broken bones

• Dislocated shoulder(s)

• Sprained Wrists or Ankles

• And more

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There are lots of places you could experience a slip and fall injury in Westchester County. Those locations could include:

• Hotels

• Restaurants

• Bars

• Grocery Stores

• Schools

• Hospitals 

• Banks

• Nursing Homes

• Commercial Facilities

• Retail Stores

• Shopping Malls

• Other Stores such as Target, Walmart and more

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Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys In Westchester County, NY

Slip and fall accidents are actually quite common in Westchester County, especially during the winter time due to the weather among other reasons. Typically slip and fall accidents occur due to the negligence of the property owner. In this case, it's important to prove negligence in a slip and fall case. Proving the property owner owed you a duty of care is key to winning the case. If you're looking for a slip and fall attorney in White Plains or Westchester County give us a call.

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If you slipped and fell in Westchester County or surrounding areas give us a call at (914) 428-3313 for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

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See Also: Yonkers Slip, Trip & Fall Accident Attorneys

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You may hear commercials for slip and fall accident attorneys often, but who can you trust? The last thing you want is to be represented improperly causing you to have justice taken away. If you need a slip and fall lawyer, you are in the right place. If you are in the state of New York, you may have googled ‘slip and fall attorneys near me’. While this may return a list of results, who should you call? Keep reading to find out who the best slip and fall lawyers in New York are.

 

What are some common causes of slip and fall accidents?

Slips, trips, and falls can be extremely dangerous in an industrial or commercial environment. Some common injuries that result from slipping, tripping, or falling may include cuts, bruises, fractures, dislocations, musculoskeletal injuries, and even more serious injuries, including death. 

 

One major contributor to slip and fall accidents are environmental conditions.  Environmental conditions can include poorly designed or poorly maintained walkways or other infrastructures such as stairs and catwalks, slippery surfaces caused by rain, snow, or spills, and poor lighting. Trips can occur as well from poorly stored materials.

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Here is a brief description of what defines a slip, trip, and fall:

• Slips: When your foot loses traction with the ground surface, either caused by an environmental condition or caused by improper footwear, and you leave the ground and suffer a fall as a result. 

• Falls: Someone may fall as a result of a slip or a trip, but they also can occur when someone is standing or sitting on steps, stairs, curbs, or when they fall into a hole. They may also fall into a ditch, ravine, or into a body of water. 

• Trips: Trips may occur when someone catches their foot on an object or the end of a surface. Some obstacles may include different types of flooring, mats, rugs, and tools, or other items that are not stored properly. 

 

The most common injuries to the body that occur from slips, trips, and/or falls typically occur in the knees, ankles, and the upper and lower back. To reduce your risk of slips, trips, and falls you want to make sure you are always wearing proper footwear for the environment that you are in as well as be aware of your surroundings at all times. 

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Do I need an attorney for a slip and fall accident?

Technically, you do not need an attorney to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you have a serious slip and/or fall in the workplace, you can file a lawsuit, negotiate a settlement, and represent yourself in court if need be. The question is, would it be in your best interest to do so? If you are suing an employer or the insurance company of your employer, they are most likely going to have really strong representation. It is hard to litigate slip and fall cases as the fault is not always clear. The insurance company and your employer are going to do everything they can to create the picture that your injury was a result of your own carelessness. It is also hard to prove that your employer was negligent.  Considering how tough some of these cases can be, you may want to consider using an attorney who has experience fighting these types of cases. They will know the past course of action to help you increase your chances of receiving just compensation. 

 

Are slip and fall cases hard to prove?

The short answer is yes. Slip and fall cases are hard to prove. Here is why. In order to prove that a property owner or a place of business is responsible for injuries suffered during a slip and fall incident, you have to prove that one of the following two scenarios is true:

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1. The property owner or place of business should have had the foresight to recognize a dangerous condition and take care of it before it causes someone harm. The main point to prove is that a reasonable person would have been able to identify the condition as dangerous and whether they had a reasonable amount of time to remedy the danger before the incident. 

2. The property owner or place of business directly caused the condition that led to the slip and fall accident. This would be leaving an obstacle in a walkway or somewhere that it was reasonably foreseeable that it could potentially become a danger. 

 

Both of these scenarios are pretty tough to prove, even if it may seem obvious to you that the property owner or place of business is at fault. A judge will need to be convinced. That is why it may be in your best interest to consult a legal representative immediately after a slip and fall accident. 

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Who is responsible for a slip and fall accident?

Ultimately, it is the place of business or the property owner who is responsible for slip and fall accidents if it can be proven that the owner should have known about a dangerous condition and taken steps to fix it.  Or, if the owner or place of business created the obstacle that caused the injury and it is deemed that a reasonable person should have been aware of the potential danger they created. However, there are some instances where the owner or place of business is not at fault and then the fault will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. For example, if someone was seen as visibly impaired due to alcohol or drug use while on the job, or if it was the person’s blatant clumsiness that directly led to the injury. 

 

Can you sue for a slip and fall accident?

Yes, whenever anyone slips and falls, and there is a chance that it was because of some hazard or dangerous obstacle that should not have been there at the time, then the property owner or place of business may be liable for the injury. You then have the right to bring forth a personal injury lawsuit. You can bring the case to small claims court on your own if the amount of damages being sought is below $5,000. If you need more damages, you will have to file in regular civil court, and at this point, you may want to consult a personal injury lawyer to help you with the litigation or the negotiation of a settlement. 

 

What happens if a slip and fall accident occurs in someone else's house or apartment?

The same rules that apply to a place of employment, a property own, or a place of business, apply to a residential property owner. The same types of negligence circumstances again will have to be proved in a court of law. 

              

Conclusion

If you have had a slip and fall accident and feel that someone should be held accountable for the accident, you should contact an attorney. Curhan & Ahlers has been serving injury victims since 1986. With 35 years and counting of legal expertise in personal injury litigation, Curan & Ahlers is ready to fight for you. Whether you are unsure you have a case or not, you can take advantage of a free consultation with an experienced lawyer. Curhan & Ahlers can handle cases throughout New York. Contact our team of expert lawyers that are ready to listen and fight for you today.