Representing slip and fall victims across the Bronx since 1937.
If you slipped, tripped, or fell on someone else’s property in the Bronx and were seriously hurt, the property owner may be legally responsible for your injuries. Property owners and their insurance companies will argue that you were not paying attention, that the hazard was obvious, or that they had no way of knowing about the dangerous condition.
A Bronx, NY slip and fall lawyer at Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP knows how to counter those arguments. We have been representing injured New Yorkers for over 85 years and offer free consultations on all slip and fall cases.
Slip and Fall Lawyer Bronx, NY
To win a slip and fall case, the injured person has to prove that a dangerous condition existed on the property, that the owner knew about it or should have known about it through reasonable maintenance, and that the condition caused the fall and the resulting injuries. That three-part test sounds straightforward, but in practice, these cases are heavily contested.
Property owners rarely admit they knew about a hazard. A slip and fall attorney in the Bronx understands how to gather the evidence needed to overcome these defenses, including maintenance logs, inspection schedules, surveillance footage, prior complaint records, and witness statements that establish the property owner had notice of the problem.
Types of Slip and Fall Cases We Handle in the Bronx
Slip and fall accidents happen in all kinds of settings across the Bronx, and each type of property raises different questions about who is responsible. Our attorneys handle a wide range of premises liability cases, including:
- Wet floor accidents in stores and restaurants. Spills, recently mopped floors, and leaking refrigeration units create slippery surfaces in commercial establishments. If the business knew about the condition or it existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have caught it, the business may be liable.
- Sidewalk and pavement defects. Cracked, raised, or uneven sidewalks cause trip and fall injuries throughout the Bronx. Under New York City Administrative Code 7-210, the responsibility for maintaining sidewalks generally falls on the adjoining property owner, not the city.
- Snow and ice accumulations. Property owners in New York are required to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks and walkways within a reasonable time after a storm. Failing to salt, shovel, or sand icy surfaces can create liability for injuries that result from the neglect.
- Apartment building hazards. Broken stairs, missing handrails, poor lighting in hallways and stairwells, torn carpeting, and landlord negligence in maintaining common areas are all frequent causes of falls in residential buildings.
- Elevator and escalator malfunctions. A misleveled elevator or a malfunctioning escalator can cause passengers to trip and fall without warning. Our firm obtained a $1,725,000 settlement for a client who suffered a knee injury from a misleveled elevator.
- Construction site slip and falls. Debris, uneven surfaces, wet concrete, and missing guardrails on construction sites create fall hazards for both workers and pedestrians passing by.
- Falls on government property. Slip and fall accidents in public buildings, parks, subway stations, and other government-owned properties carry additional procedural requirements, including a 90-day notice-of-claim deadline that is strictly enforced.
Why Choose Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP for Slip and Fall Cases in Bronx, NY?
Over $131 Million Recovered for Injured Clients
Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP has secured over $131 million in verdicts and settlements for injured New Yorkers. Our premises liability results include a $1,725,000 settlement for a client who suffered a knee injury due to a misleveled elevator and a $1,500,000 settlement for a victim who sustained back injuries after a slip and fall at a fast food restaurant.
If you need a personal injury lawyer in the Bronx, our firm handles slip and fall claims alongside car accidents, truck collisions, and other serious-injury matters with the same attention to detail.
Three Generations of Plaintiff-Side Trial Work
Our firm’s history dates back to 1937, when the Edelstein family began practicing law on Court Street in Brooklyn. Three generations later, the attorneys at Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP still operate on the same principle: prepare every case as if it is going to trial. That mindset produces results at the negotiating table and in the courtroom. The firm has been recognized by both Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers, and our attorneys are members of the American Bar Association and the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. We handle every slip and fall case on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
What Is Important to Understand About a Slip and Fall Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Slip and Fall Cases
Slip and fall injuries are often more serious than people expect. Hip fractures, broken wrists, herniated discs, torn ligaments, and traumatic brain injuries from hitting the ground are all common outcomes, particularly for older adults. New York law allows slip and fall victims to pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, and any ongoing or future care related to the fall
- Lost wages, covering income missed during recovery and any long-term reduction in your ability to work
- Pain and suffering, which accounts for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has affected your quality of life
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as assistive devices, home modifications, and transportation to medical appointments
In fatal slip and fall cases, the victim’s family may pursue a wrongful death claim.
New York follows a pure comparative negligence standard under CPLR Section 1411. That means even if the property owner argues you were partly at fault for your fall, you can still recover compensation. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovery entirely. The defense will almost always try to shift blame to you, which is why having an experienced slip and fall lawyer in the Bronx matters.
What Are Important Aspects of a Slip and Fall Case?
The single most contested issue in almost every slip and fall case is notice. Did the property owner know about the hazard? And if they did not know, should they have known? That question drives the entire case.
- Actual notice is the stronger of the two. If a tenant filed a complaint about a broken step, or an employee mopped a floor and forgot to put up a wet floor sign, the owner cannot credibly claim they were unaware of the danger
- Constructive notice is harder to prove but comes up more often. You have to show that the hazard was there long enough that any property owner exercising basic diligence would have found it. A puddle with shopping cart tracks through it tells a different story than a fresh spill. A sidewalk crack with grass growing out of it did not appear overnight
- Scene documentation is something you should do immediately if you are physically able. Photograph the hazard, the lighting, the surrounding area, your shoes, and your injuries. If there are security cameras nearby, tell your attorney right away. Footage gets overwritten, sometimes within days
- Incident reports matter too. If you reported the fall to a store manager or building superintendent, there should be a written record. Get a copy before it gets buried or lost
What Is the Slip and Fall Case Timeline?
No two slip and fall cases move at the same speed. A straightforward fall in a grocery store with clear surveillance footage may settle in several months. A fall on a city sidewalk involving a government entity can take years. Here is the general arc:
- The first few days and weeks are about getting medical care, reporting the fall to whoever owns or manages the property, and contacting a slip and fall attorney in the Bronx. The property owner will fix the hazard quickly, so documenting the condition before that happens is critical
- Over the next several months, your attorney gathers maintenance logs, inspection schedules, prior complaints, surveillance footage, and witness statements. All of this goes toward building the notice argument
- Medical treatment continues, sometimes for a year or more. Settling before you have reached maximum medical improvement almost always means leaving money on the table, because neither you nor your attorney can fully calculate what the case is worth until the doctors have a clear picture of your prognosis
- Once the medical picture stabilizes, your attorney sends a demand to the insurer and begins negotiating. Some cases resolve here. Many do not, because property owners and their carriers fight these claims aggressively
- If no fair offer comes, the case goes to litigation. In the Bronx, court timelines vary, but you should expect one to several years from filing to trial depending on the judge’s calendar
What Should You Bring to Your Slip and Fall Consultation?
Do not wait until you have a perfect file to call. But if you have any of the following, bring them along:
- Photos of the hazard, the location where you fell, and your injuries
- A copy of any incident report you filed with the property owner, store manager, or building super
- Medical records and bills from treatment so far
- Contact information for anyone who saw what happened
We will go through the details with you, explain what New York premises liability law says about your particular situation, and tell you whether we think you have a case.
What Are Important New York Legal Resources for Slip and Fall Cases?
Several New York statutes and public agencies are directly relevant to slip and fall claims. If you want to research the law yourself, these are good starting points:
- CPLR Section 214 sets a three-year statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in New York. But falls on government property are different. You have just 90 days to file a notice of claim against a city or state agency, and missing that window can end your case before it starts
- CPLR Section 1411 is New York’s pure comparative negligence statute. The property owner will argue you share fault for the fall. Under this rule, that does not bar your claim. It reduces your recovery by whatever percentage of fault the jury assigns to you, but you are still entitled to compensation for the rest
- The NYS Department of Health publishes data on fall-related injuries, hospitalizations, and prevention resources for New York residents
- The CDC’s fall injury data shows that millions of older adults report falling each year nationally, and provides state-by-state breakdowns of fall death rates
- The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee runs pedestrian and public safety campaigns that overlap with premises liability and sidewalk hazard issues
Reach Out to Edelsteins, Faegenburg, & Blyakher LLP to Schedule a Consultation
If you were hurt in a slip and fall in the Bronx and you believe the property owner’s negligence was responsible, our firm will review the facts at no cost. We take slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. Contact us to set up a free consultation with a Bronx slip and fall attorney.
