Long Island Uneven Sidewalk Lawyer

The maintenance of public walkways is typically the responsibility of a municipal, local, or state body. Taxes are used to pay for the maintenance and service of such infrastructure, but poor management, employee neglect, insufficient budgets, and administrative errors can lead to damaged or unrepaired sidewalks. Depending on your age, the speed at which you were traveling, and other factors such as objects on the ground, an uneven sidewalk fall can lead to serious injuries.

If you suffered personal injuries of any type in a trip and fall on an uneven sidewalk, an attorney may be able to help. An uneven sidewalk lawyer on Long Island with the Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P., legal team can help you understand your rights and responsibilities after a trip and fall. Please call our team today (631) 451-7900 for a free case evaluation.

Uneven Sidewalk Injuries and Damages

If you trip, slip, or stumble on an uneven sidewalk, you may suffer:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Brain or spinal cord injuries
• Bruising or sprains

Serious falls can lead to long-term injuries such as a broken hip or a traumatic brain injury, especially in older populations. Falling on an object or into direct harm—for example, stumbling on a sidewalk and falling to the roadside—can even lead to death.

Depending on the extent of your damages and the severity of your injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for losses that accrue due to your sidewalk trip or slip and fall, including:

• Medical bills, including care costs, medication costs, testing fees, and doctor fees
• Lost income
• Incidental costs such as care or service costs
• Pain and suffering

Liability for Uneven Sidewalk Injuries

In some cases, a local municipality or city district may bear responsibility for injuries and losses that occur as a direct result of a slip or trip and fall caused by damaged sidewalks that the municipality or district is responsible for.

A construction crew or a property owner or a business operator may be liable for certain damages as well, depending on where and how your slip or trip and fall occurred. If you were injured on an uneven sidewalk within a private property, such as a stadium or mall, the property owner may be liable for your injuries.

In some cases, even private homeowners may bear responsibility for slip and falls that occur on sidewalks in the immediate exterior of their property. This usually means the homeowner must keep such premises free of clutter and hazards, but an uneven sidewalk can lead to more frequent or more serious injuries than would otherwise occur on a given stretch of sidewalk.

ALong Island lawyer from Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. experienced in handling uneven sidewalk cases can help you determine which of several different parties may be responsible for your fall when we represent you. Doing this involves evidence collection, an understanding of local laws, and establishing a connection between the negligence of an at-fault party and your injuries.

If you believe a negligent premises owner caused your injuries, call Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P., at (631) 451-7900 for a free consultation on your case with a member of our team.

City and Municipality Liability

A city or municipality may be liable for injuries caused by an uneven sidewalk. To prove this, you may have to show that there was a serious hazard that the town or city knew about or should have known about but did not take reasonable steps to address. Uneven public sidewalks may be included within this category. Maintenance logs and picture evidence can be used to back up your claim of a slip and fall caused by an uneven sidewalk.

Keep in mind that different rules may apply to a personal injury lawsuit against a municipality in New York. While the statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits in New York is generally three years, per NY Civil Practice Law & Rules (CVP) §214, lawsuits against the government may require you to file a notice of claim against the responsible party in as little as 90 days, per NY General Municipal (GMU) §50-E. There could be other circumstances that alter the deadlines in your case as well.

Get Legal Assistance on Your Case

A lawyer from Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. may be able to help you with your uneven sidewalk case. In general, the steps involved in trip and falls caused by uneven sidewalks include:

Evidence Collection and Evaluation

Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. may be able to collect photo or video evidence, CCTV recordings from nearby businesses or public cameras, or the testimony of eyewitnesses as we research your slip and fall. We may also be able to gather police or incident reports, your medical records, and testimony from accident reconstruction experts.

Filing a Claim

A lawyer can help you file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. can do this by issuing what is known as a letter of intent to sue. We can also present the insurance company with evidence of the value of your damages at this time.

Negotiations

If the insurance company disputes your claim, we can negotiate with them for a fair settlement. In the event that they are unwilling to make you a reasonable offer, we can take your case to trial.

Contact Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. Today

An uneven sidewalk lawyer on Long Island from Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. can assist you with your case. Allow us to handle the communications, investigations, and legal work related to your slip and fall while you focus on recovering.

Please contact the Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. team today at (631) 451-7900 for a case evaluation. We provide services in Spanish as well, so please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can be of assistance in any way.