New York personal injury lawyers provide representation to victims of fall injuries when a property is not maintained and injury occurs as a result. Slip and falls are a very common reason to get hurt on property and premises liability laws give victims legal rights after a fall happens. However, slips and trips aren’t the only types of injuries that can happen on property and they aren’t the only type of accidents that can give rise to personal injury claims. You should reach out to an attorney whenever you are hurt on someone else’s property by any cause, including when trees fall and cause you harm.
Tree Collapse Injures A Mother With Three Small Children in Central Park
Falling trees are far too common throughout New York City and elsewhere in the state. Unfortunately, falling trees can cause very serious injuries. NY Daily News reported recently on a tree collapse that occurred in Central Park. The collapse caused a mother of three young children to be hurt.
The incident happened when a mother and her children were walking in a path along central park. The mother had one child strapped to her on a carrier and she was pushing two other young children in a double stroller. The third child in the carrier was just one month old. As the mother and children were walking on the path, an ear-splitting crack was heard. A massive elm tree lining the path then toppled down.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 AM. The mother was pinned briefly underneath the large tree. She was described as being woozy as a result of the incident. An eyewitness reported that the mother had to be freed from the tree with chainsaws. The mother and children were hospitalized, but NY Daily News reports that none of the injuries sustained by the mother or any of the kids were life-threatening. However, the mother was described as being in-and-out of consciousness and her injuries were considered to be critical.
The tree reportedly fell within just an instant and witnesses said there was nothing anyone could have done. It was lucky the tree did not cause more serious harm to the mother or any of the children. Unfortunately, falling trees can cause fatalities and can cause paralysis or other serious and permanent injuries. In November of 2016, for example, a 4,000 pound tree fell on a restaurant deliveryman in Brooklyn and killed him.
When a tree falls down on someone’s property, it is important to determine if the property owner was negligent or not. Property owners cannot be responsible for any and every random accident that happens, but if the owners failed in their obligations in some way, they could be held accountable for harm to visitors. In this particular case, it is not yet clear what caused the tree to fall, especially as there was no wind and only light rain so it did not appear weather was a factor.
New York personal injury lawyers who handle premises liability claims on a routine basis can help victims of falling tree accidents to understand what their rights are and, in appropriate cases, to take legal action when an accident has happened.
