If you slipped, fell, and got hurt because of an icy sidewalk, you may feel overwhelmed with your injuries, especially if they’re severe. If you were injured because of an icy sidewalk due to no fault of your own, you can recover compensation for your losses. However, it will likely take the efforts of a skilled sidewalk slip-and-fall lawyer to ensure you receive the maximum payment available. And the sooner you contact an attorney, the better your chances of success are.
The skilled and Spanish-speaking lawyers of Dalli & Marino, LLP can help you if you have been injured due to an icy sidewalk. Here’s an overview of what you need to know about liability for city sidewalks, along with how an experienced lawyer can identify the responsible parties and hold them accountable.
Who Is Liable for an Icy Sidewalk?
To protect public safety, sidewalks need to be kept reasonably clear of ice and snow. Of course, no one expects sidewalks to stay perfectly ice-free all the time, but pedestrians have the right to expect that the appropriate party will make reasonable efforts to clean up ice or other slippery conditions.
Liability for injuries caused by an icy sidewalk usually depends on its specific location and local laws. Some municipalities hold certain property owners liable for a negligent failure to clear ice from a public sidewalk. In New York City, for example, keeping sidewalks reasonably clear of ice is the responsibility of adjacent property owners. In other jurisdictions, the municipality itself may have the obligation to maintain safe public sidewalks, whereas sidewalks on private property, such as office plazas or shopping center parking lots, generally always must be maintained in a safe condition by the property owner.
If you fell and were injured on an icy sidewalk, you may have a claim for compensation against the owner of the property, the owner of the property or business immediately next to it, the city or county, or their insurance companies, depending on the circumstances.
What Compensation Can You Recover After an Icy Slip-and-Fall?
You may have the right to compensation for your injuries and losses from a fall on an icy sidewalk. Some damages that you can recover may include:
- Medical expenses
- Other expenses resulting from your injuries
- Earnings and job benefits you lost or will lose from missing work
- Physical pain and emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Any scarring or disfigurement your injuries left behind
The law also generally permits you to ask a court to award additional, punitive damages if the liable party’s failure to protect you from icy conditions amounted to extreme or malicious disregard for your safety. Talking to a knowledgeable lawyer is the most reliable way to estimate the types and ranges of compensation you might recover.
How a Lawyer Can Help Recover Compensation
Most slip-and-fall victims want to recover the maximum compensation available for their losses. To do that, they almost always need the help of an experienced sidewalk slip-and-fall lawyer who can handle the entire process of claiming compensation on their behalf. A skilled attorney can:
- Research the ownership of the sidewalk where you fell and the law applicable to it
- Identify the parties potentially liable to you and the insurance they carry to cover your claim
- Handle all interactions with insurance companies
- Gather evidence and testimony proving that the liable parties acted unreasonably in failing to protect you from icy conditions
- Prepare and file insurance claims and lawsuits on your behalf
- Negotiate settlements of your claims when possible to achieve a fair result
- Go to court to prove your case to a judge and jury at trial
- Collect the sums owed to you through a settlement, judgment, or jury verdict
Most sidewalk slip-and-fall lawyers help injury victims on a contingent fee basis. That means their fee consists only of a percentage of any money they recover on your behalf. You don’t have to pay them out of your pocket in advance, and you don’t have to pay them anything at all unless they get results.
Steps to Take After Your Slip-and-Fall on an Icy Sidewalk
After falling on an icy sidewalk, some actions you should take to make sure you recover the full amount of compensation and care include:
Seek Medical Care
Always prioritize your physical health and safety. Go to the doctor for an exam as soon as you can after falling, even if you feel alright in the moment. Some severe injuries take a while to show symptoms. By seeking medical care quickly, you’ll not only protect your well-being, but you’ll generate medical records that can survive as valuable evidence to support your claim.
Notify the Closest Business or Property Owner
Be sure to let someone at the business or building nearest to the sidewalk about the icy conditions and your fall. This serves to make a record of what happened, which can help protect your rights. It also puts the business or owner on notice of the need to keep other members of the public safe from hazardous ice.
Avoid Quick Settlement Offers
If the property owner, business, or insurance company offers you a settlement, it’s important to not accept the first offer and instead contact an attorney immediately. Quick settlements rarely pay you full compensation.
Contact an Experienced Sidewalk Slip-and-Fall Lawyer at Dalli & Marino, LLP Today
You deserve compensation for the injuries you suffered from falling on an icy sidewalk. In many cases, the law will permit you to claim compensation from the nearest property owner, the city, or their insurers. However, it frequently takes the services of a skilled attorney to make the most of your rights.
Dalli & Marino, LLP routinely represents sidewalk fall victims, and we can help make sure that your rights are protected every step of the way. We can help you figure out who owes you compensation and how much you can recover. Fill out our contact form or call us at (888) 465-8790 today for a free consultation.
