Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
A slip and fall accident can happen in seconds and leave you with injuries that take months to recover from. When the fall happened because a property owner failed to keep their space safe, you may have the right to hold them accountable.
Our slip and fall accident lawyer in Yonkers can help you build that case and pursue the compensation you may be owed. At Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, we’ve recovered $1 billion-plus for injured New Yorkers and fight hard against property owners and insurers who try to minimize legitimate claims.
Reach out to our premises liability lawyer in Yonkers today for a free consultation. Slip and fall cases are often contested aggressively by property owners and their insurance companies. Going in without legal representation puts you at a real disadvantage.
Why Property Owners and Insurers Fight These Claims
Slip and fall claims are among the most disputed in personal injury law. Property owners and their insurers know that these cases often come down to contested facts, and they use that to their advantage. Their first move is usually to argue that the hazard was obvious, that you were not paying attention, or that you were wearing inappropriate footwear.
They may also challenge how long the hazardous condition existed. If they can show the spill or defect had only been there for a short time, they argue they did not have a reasonable opportunity to fix it. Insurers train their adjusters to gather statements and evidence quickly, before injured claimants fully understand their rights.
Having a Yonkers personal injury lawyer from the start helps prevent you from saying or doing things that can be used against your claim later. It also gives you someone with the experience to fight against large corporations and their insurers.
What You Need to Prove in a Slip and Fall Case
A successful slip and fall claim in New York requires establishing several things. First, that a dangerous condition existed on the property. Second, that the property owner created the condition, or knew about it and failed to act within a reasonable time. Third, the condition caused your fall and your injuries.
The notice element is often the most contested part of these cases. Property owners routinely claim they had no knowledge of the hazard. We counter that by looking at maintenance schedules, prior complaints, inspection records, and how long the condition was visible before the accident. Physical evidence like security camera footage can be decisive in these cases.
Your own conduct will also be examined. New York’s comparative negligence rule means your compensation may be reduced if you are found partially at fault, but you can still recover even if you share some responsibility for the fall.
Evidence That Supports a Slip and Fall Claim
The evidence available in slip and fall cases varies depending on where and how the accident happened. Key evidence in these cases includes:
- Surveillance or security camera footage showing the hazardous condition and the fall itself
- Maintenance logs and inspection records showing whether the property was being properly managed
- Incident reports filed with the property owner at the time of the accident
- Photos of the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries
- Medical records documenting your injuries from the time of the accident forward
- Witness statements from anyone who saw the fall or was aware of the dangerous condition
Our Yonkers slip and fall accident lawyers will move quickly to request and preserve this evidence before it is lost, overwritten, or withheld.
Common Locations for Slip and Fall Accidents in Yonkers
Slip and fall accidents happen in a wide range of locations, and the type of property affects both who is liable and what legal standards apply. In Yonkers, we frequently handle cases involving falls at:
- Grocery stores, retail shops, and shopping centers with wet or cluttered floors
- Apartment buildings and rental properties with unmaintained common areas
- Sidewalks and walkways where the city or a property owner is responsible for upkeep
- Parking lots and garages with uneven pavement or inadequate lighting
- Restaurants and commercial kitchens with slippery surfaces
- Office buildings and workplaces where maintenance has been neglected
Each setting involves different parties who may be responsible, from private landlords and business owners to municipal entities in cases involving public sidewalks. Our Yonkers slip and fall accident lawyers will find all liable parties to help you get the most compensation.
Injuries That Commonly Result From Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall injuries range from minor to severe depending on how the person falls, what surface they land on, and their age and physical condition. The injuries we see most frequently in these cases include:
- Broken wrists, arms, and shoulders from instinctive attempts to break the fall
- Hip fractures, which are particularly serious for older adults and often require surgery
- Knee injuries, including ligament tears and cartilage damage
- Spinal injuries from direct impact with the floor or ground
- Traumatic brain injuries when the head strikes the ground or a nearby object
- Soft tissue injuries to the back and neck that can persist for months or longer
Even injuries that seem minor at first can develop into serious, long-term conditions. Prompt medical attention is important both for your health and for the documentation of your claim.
How Comparative Negligence Affects Your Recovery
New York applies pure comparative negligence in slip and fall cases. This means your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of the fault for the accident. If a jury finds you were 30% responsible, your recovery is reduced by 30%. You can still recover even if you are found to be mostly at fault.
Property owners and their insurers use this rule aggressively, looking for any evidence that you contributed to the accident. We prepare for these arguments by gathering the strongest possible evidence of the property owner’s negligence and by carefully documenting the circumstances of your fall.
Why Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers
Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers was founded in 2013 and has recovered $1 billion-plus for clients across New York. Our attorneys bring 200–plus years of combined legal experience to slip and fall and premises liability cases. We work on contingency, so there are no upfront costs and no fees unless we win.
We serve working New Yorkers in communities across all five boroughs and the greater New York area, including Yonkers. Once you hire our firm to help you, our in-house investigation team gets to work immediately to preserve the evidence that matters most in your case.
Talk to a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer in Yonkers Today
If you were hurt in a slip and fall in Yonkers, don’t let the property owner’s insurer decide what your injuries are worth. A slip and fall accident attorney in Yonkers at Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers is ready to review your case and fight for what you’re owed.
Contact us today for a free consultation and let us get started.