Who Is Responsible If I Slip And Fall In A Store In New York City?
Under New York law, store owners have a legal obligation to maintain their stores in a reasonably safe condition for customers ― meaning all public areas, including entrances, stairwells, aisles and other walkways, must be properly maintained.
Therefore, if a store owner or one of his or her employees creates a dangerous condition within the store, and you are injured as a result, the store owner may be liable for your injuries. This particular legal principle ― otherwise known as premises liability ― often applies when victims suffer slip-and-fall accidents after a store employee spills liquid or breaks something on the store floor and fails to clean it up quickly and properly.
What If The Store Owner Didn’t Create The Danger?
Even if the store owner isn’t responsible for creating the dangerous condition, he or she may still be liable if he or she knew of the condition and failed to fix it before you were injured. For instance, if customers track snow and ice into a store’s entryway ― thus creating slippery conditions ― the store owner may be liable if the melted snow and ice is not adequately cleaned up and your are injured as a result.
Likewise, even if the store owner does not have actual knowledge of a particular danger, he or she may be legally responsible for any injuries if he or she should have discovered the dangerous condition through reasonable inspections. For example, if a store aisle is slippery because another customer spills some liquid, and the liquid remains for a long time without being cleaned up, you may be able to seek damages from the store owner if you eventually slip and fall on the liquid.
Do Not Delay, Contact Us For A Free Consultation
Proving slip-and-fall cases can be quite complex, especially since they are often dependent upon your specific circumstances. Contact the Law Office of Ira Pintel today. Attorney Ira Pintel can review the facts of your accident and help determine if the store’s owner may be liable for your injuries.
To schedule a FREE initial consultation with an experienced lawyer, call us at 917-534-6479, or reach out to us online. There is no time to waste, so contact us today.