Over the past 60 years, our clients have been injured in more different types of falls than one can imagine. The list of negligent conditions that can cause falls is endless, for example cracked and uneven floors, sidewalks, or walkways; objects sticking up from the walking surface, like bolts that used to hold a pay phone or an old sign; snow or ice that is not carefully removed after a storm; spilled liquids, like soda on a marble floor; loose carpet; defectively designed stairs or stairs with chipped edges or missing railings; debris accumulating in passageways; poor lighting; elevators that mis-level; the list is truly endless. When handling a case involving a fall, The Berkman Law Office, LLC first investigates to determine who owns the location where the accident occurred. Often this is complicated, as the property may be owned by one company but rented, managed, and maintained by other companies. Then we investigate who was responsible for the dangerous or defective condition that caused the accident. Once we have determined the identities of all the proper parties, we can proceed to file a claim on our client’s behalf. Frequently more than one party shares responsibility and the claim proceeds against multiple defendants. Where a fall takes place on government-owned property, such as a city sidewalk, park, street, subway, bus, or a public building like a school or government office, there are special requirements that need to be followed. Most importantly, there are strict deadlines and special procedures for filing claims. For example, for claims against New York City, a special form called a “notice of claim” must be filed within 90 days of the accident. There are some situations where the 90 days can be extended, for example if you are in a coma and unable to file a claim, or in certain cases for children who are too young to file a claim themselves. For property owned by the federal government, like a post office, there are different requirements specified in the Federal Tort Claims Act. The Berkman Law Office, LLC has been handling accident cases involving falls for almost 60 years. Whatever the particulars of your accident, you can be sure that we will be able to guide you down the best path to resolve your claim. |