Walking is a popular way to get around New York City, but pedestrian accidents are all too common. The sheer volume of pedestrians in the city makes accidents inevitable.
If you were injured in a NYC pedestrian accident, your next steps could affect your ability to recover financially in a personal injury lawsuit. In most situations, hiring a personal injury lawyer after a pedestrian accident will help you maximize your financial recovery.
How Common are Pedestrian Accidents in NYC?
Pedestrian accidents happen almost every day in New York City. An estimated 7,000 pedestrian injuries that require emergency room visits occur on the city’s sidewalks and streets each year, with some resulting in fatalities.
While pedestrian deaths have decreased in recent years due to citywide initiatives, the risk of a pedestrian accident remains ever-present. If you’ve been hurt as a pedestrian, you could seek compensation from the negligent party through a personal injury claim.
Negligent drivers are often to blame, as are negligent property owners when slips and falls occur. Slips and falls leading to pedestrian accidents can be caused by any of the following:
Slippery Surfaces
Stores and bodegas lining the city’s sidewalks can be the site of spills and slick surfaces. Floors can become slippery due to spilled beverages, dropped merchandise, rain and snow tracked into a store, or recently mopped or waxed floors. Building owners and managers have a responsibility to keep their floors hazard-free or warn customers of potential dangers.
Uneven Sidewalks
Pedestrians generally expect the surfaces they walk on to be smooth. However, unexpected bumps, ridges, or dips can cause people to trip on sidewalks, resulting in blunt force trauma, fractured bones, lacerations, concussions, or worse.
Ice or Snow on Walkways
New York is known for its hazardous weather. Snow and ice can build up quickly, creating a serious slip and fall risk for pedestrians. Building owners and tenants have an obligation to clear ice and snow for the protection of pedestrians and guests. Slips on slick ice or snowy patches can cause disastrous falls, leading to severe neck injuries, back injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or spinal cord injuries.
Cords and Cables
Cords and cables are everywhere in the city, whether due to a construction project or other work. If they are not properly marked or maintained, an unsuspecting pedestrian can fall on the ground.
Falls on Public Transportation
Pedestrians depend on NYC’s subways, trains, buses, and other forms of public transit to go about their days. However, poorly maintained steps, platforms, and walkways can create hazards for commuters.
A New York City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help Prove Negligence in a Pedestrian Accident
A New York pedestrian accident lawyer will start by collecting and analyzing the evidence in your case. They’ll review video footage, talk to witnesses, obtain accident reports, evaluate physical evidence, and take other measures to support your claim. The sooner you hire an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer to help you with your case, the better your chances of recovering full compensation for your injuries.
Damages in a pedestrian accident case are awarded if you can prove negligence. There are four elements to a negligence claim:
- Duty of Care: A property owner may owe a duty of care to pedestrians on their property.
- Breach of Duty: Failure to follow an expected duty of care can result in a breach.
- Causation: There must be a causal link between the breach and your injuries.
- Damages: You’ll need to show actual damages, such as medical bills or lost income.
A New York City lawyer can help you prove these elements with the available evidence.
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