Taking a Fall

PATH station last winter because of falling ice, a wise decision to keep people safe until the ice could be cleared.

Under premises liability law, property owners throughout the state are charged with maintaining premises that are safe. This means they must clear snow and ice and other hazards from the sidewalk within a reasonable amount of time. Should a pedestrian suffer a slip and fall injury on a hazardous sidewalk, the property owner can be held liable for the injuries the victim sustains.

The damages that a victim can seek include lost earnings, medical expenses including necessary therapy, and pain and suffering. The amount of money in a slip and fall case can be significant so it is wise for property owners to be vigilant about keeping their property free of ice and other dangers such as potholes. Parties only have a limited amount of time to bring a lawsuit for their injuries.

It is not enough to merely fall on a sidewalk and have an injury. To prove a premises liability case after falling, the injured victim must prove the following:

• There was a hazard on the property
• The hazard caused the fall and the injury
• The owner of the premises had knowledge of the hazard and failed to deal with it in a timely fashion

If you are injured by any type of dangerous condition on a property, do not hesitate to speak to a lawyer about the possibility of bringing a lawsuit to compensate you.