A slip and fall accident is one of those things that can happen to anyone, anywhere. Whether you are at home, at work, at a shopping mall, a friend’s house, or even a parking lot, you can slip-and-fall and sustain serious injuries. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), out of all accidental deaths in America, nearly 15% can be attributed to slip-and-fall accidents. Some of these accidents can be chalked up to the victim’s carelessness, but in a lot of cases, another person or entity is the culprit.

New York is known for its brutally cold winters. While the snow-filled streets and sidewalks look beautiful, they also create unsafe conditions for pedestrians and lead to slip and fall accidents. Property owners in New York are required to clear ice and snow from their property – including adjoining sidewalks and parking lots – in a timely manner.

If a property owner fails in their duty to keep their premises in a relatively safe condition, and if their failure leads to a slip and fall accident, the victim can sue them and demand compensation for their injuries and other losses.

You would think that walking – which is one of the most basic forms of transportation in New York – would be safe. And yet, dozens of people are forced to visit the emergency room in NYC due to sustaining slip and fall injuries. During the winter season, property owners and managers need to be especially careful and ensure their walkways and sidewalks are in good condition. Accumulation of snow and ice is the number one cause of slip-and-fall injuries on sidewalks during winter.

As always, what “should be done” and what really happens are two very different things. If you or your loved one slipped and fell on a property due to the poor condition of the said property, you may be able to file a premises liability lawsuit against the owner.