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Premises Liability

Understanding Premises Liability & Slip-And-Fall Claims

Many people in New York and New Jersey have slipped on an icy walkway or tripped over a misleveled sidewalk and experience that sudden surge of adrenaline, possibly followed by a moment of self-consciousness and embarrassment. Unfortunately, falling down in a slip/trip-and-fall accident can cause a great deal of harm. In fact, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Landlords, property managers and other people who are in control of land and buildings have a duty to keep their property safe for pedestrians. When conditions on a property are hazardous due to the negligence of the landholder, the potential for serious injury is real.

Turn To Trial Attorneys For Aggressive Representation

The experienced trial lawyers at Liakas Law, P.C., know that a wide range of events on someone else property can cause serious personal injury. The responsible party may be a private individual, a company, or a government entity such as the City of New York. Our lawyers act decisively to hold property owners and the insurance companies accountable when negligence causes significant harm to innocent visitors of a private residence, apartment complex, business or government property.

Our premises liability attorneys are well-equipped to fight to maximize compensation for victims who have been injured on someone else property across the spectrum of possible events, such as:

  • Elevator and escalator accidents
  • Injuries that result from collapses in a building, such as fallen ceilings or crumbling balconies
  • Harm suffered as a result of fires and explosions
  • Injuries related to inadequate security at a business or service location
  • Accidents involving merchandise falling from shelves in a store
  • Slip-and-fall accidents due to ice and snow, wet floors, and faulty or poorly maintained property
  • Serious injuries suffered in animal attacks and from dog bites
  • Accidents involving unsafe stairwells or cellar doors

Prompt Action After Suffering Injury Is Important

Proving negligence is necessary in premises liability cases. In essence, we must show that someone responsible for the property either knew, or clearly should have known, about the dangerous condition. Such conditions might be anything from a wet, slippery floor to a hole or defect, from improperly placed garbage on a loading dock to burned-out lights and inadequate security.

Why Is Fast Action So Important?

Dangerous conditions are often corrected soon after someone gets hurt. Memories fade, and witnesses to your accident may be impossible to locate if you wait weeks or months to involve a professional investigator. Moreover, getting proper medical care is not only important for your well-being, but it also provides strong evidence that your injuries are a result of the accident. Symptoms of back injuries, head trauma and other serious medical conditions can take days, weeks, or longer, to develop. Getting medical attention and documentation can provide evidence of the earliest stages of the injury.

Fire And Explosion Accidents

Explosion & Fire Accidents Gas explosions have a high probability of happening in New York City because the City’s gas distribution system is one of the oldest in the country. Explosions and fires are seen throughout the state in all manners of locations and circumstances.

May Include:

  • Improperly Secured Construction Sites
  • Improperly Designed Gasoline/Propane Tanks
  • Defective Smoke Detectors or Fire Alarms
  • Faulty Wiring
  • Negligent Maintenance of Public Utilities

Municipal Liability

Municipal liability litigation involves cases and claims against a state, city, town, county, or its agencies. Personal injury cases against a municipality can include premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, etc. but in many instances the law governing such is dissimilar from a common negligence case. For example, if you are involved in an accident involving a municipality, certain preliminary documents must be filed immediately to preserve your right to sue.

May include:

  • Defective/Dangerous Sidewalks
  • MTA and NYCTA Bus Accidents
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents involving a City Vehicle
  • Parks/Play Structures
  • Defective Roadway Design
  • Improperly Maintained Public Structures
  • Police Brutality

Get Started Now — We Are Available 24/7

If you have suffered injury due to negligence and hazards on someone else’s property, we are here to help you maximize the compensation you deserve to cover your harms. To arrange a confidential case evaluation, send us an email now or call our office in Manhattan at 212-937-7765.

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