Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
If you are on someone else’s property in Queens, the owner has a duty to keep you safe. This involves maintaining the property to limit the presence of safety hazards. When property owners are aware of any dangerous conditions that might put you in harm’s way, they must either take steps to eliminate these conditions or properly warn you that they exist.
Unfortunately, property owners, managers, and other relevant parties can neglect this responsibility. Their negligence may lead to accidents that result in severe injuries or even death.
Were you or a loved one in the Queens area injured in an accident on another person’s property? Do you have reason to believe this accident may have been avoided if they had taken reasonable steps to ensure your safety?
If so, you should consult one of our premises liability lawyers in Queens. At Shulman & Hill, our premises liability attorneys can help you secure the compensation that you may be entitled to for your injuries. Contact us to schedule a free legal consultation to learn more.
Queens Premises Liability Cases: An Overview
Property owners and managers should take reasonable measures to prevent accidents from occurring on their premises. This includes fixing safety hazards and/or placing signage warning visitors of potential risks.
Perhaps you were at a restaurant and someone spilled a drink from a nearby table. You later slipped on the wet floor as you were walking by and suffered injuries as a result. If the time between when the spill initially occurred and when your accident happened was substantial enough that an employee should have already cleaned it up, you could potentially argue your accident resulted from their negligence.
This is the basis of premises liability laws. In New York State, a property owner or manager must (to a reasonable degree) take measures to protect you from harm. If they failed to do so and you were injured as a result, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit.
Queens Premises Liability Cases: Common Examples
Queens premises liability cases can come in many forms. The following are merely a few examples to give you a better sense of what may constitute negligence:
- You were injured in an act of violence at a bar or similar establishment because ownership failed to put adequate security measures in place.
- You were injured on an escalator, elevator, or similar piece of equipment that had not been properly maintained.
- A property owner knew their outdoor lighting was insufficient to thoroughly illuminate the parking lot or other outdoor areas of their property at night. However, they did not take any steps to remedy this. As a result, you tripped over an obstruction in the parking lot that was impossible to see in low-light conditions.
Essentially, to prove you have a valid Queens premises liability case, you need to prove you were injured by conditions that a reasonable property owner would have resolved. One of our qualified Queens premises liability lawyers can help you show your case meets the necessary criteria.
How a Premises Liability Law Firm in the Queens Area Can Help You
In these circumstances, the nature of your injuries and losses can be wide-ranging. In general, your accident may leave you with:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages (if your injuries prevent you from returning to work, at least for a period of time)
- Limited mobility
- Inability to tend to your own day-to-day needs
- Inability to tend to the needs of your loved ones
- Overall diminished quality of life
If you believe another party’s negligence caused your accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your losses. This may involve filing a lawsuit against the relevant property owner or business.
Before taking action on your own, meeting with an expert at a personal injury law firm in the Queens area will be helpful. Our Queens premises liability attorneys can help in the following ways:
Conducting an Investigation
In order to uncover evidence proving your accident was the result of negligence, a thorough investigation is often necessary. More importantly, an investigation can help determine whose negligence may have caused your accident.
To return to a previous example, maybe you were injured when an elevator malfunctioned. The building owner may be considered liable if the malfunction was the result of improper maintenance. On the other hand, if it is discovered that the malfunction was the result of the elevator’s designers or manufacturers overlooking a defect, they may be considered liable. This is why an investigation is so important.
Pursuing Fair Compensation
Some of your losses might not have a concrete dollar value but it does not mean that they affect your life any less than your financial losses. Our skilled personal injury attorneys will help fight for a settlement or verdict that fairly compensates you for all of your losses, including past and future. Our team can present evidence to show that, given your losses, you are entitled to the amount of money you are seeking.
Negotiating With Insurers
Insurance companies are businesses. Like other businesses, some may choose to prioritize their financial well-being over your health and safety. No matter who the target of your lawsuit might be, their insurance company will likely have attorneys with significantly more litigation experience than you. That is why you need a qualified legal team on your side to help ensure you do not unknowingly accept a low settlement offer.