Slip and fall describe the type of injury suffered on someone else’s property as a result of a defect, slippery substance, or other dangerous condition. These injuries commonly occur at supermarkets and restaurants and are due to food on the floor. They can also occur when inadequate steps are taken to remove ice and snow from sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots.
Generally, premises liability refers to the body of law, which holds a landowner and/or possessor of real property liable for injuries to others who suffer an injury on their property. Typically, a premises liability lawsuit often arises from the property owner’s or occupant’s failure to maintain the property in a safe condition or failure to correct a dangerous condition on their property, which they know about or upon reasonable inspection, should have known about.
The general rule of law is that the owner or operator of the premises has a duty to keep the premises in a reasonably safe condition or at least warn individuals of dangerous conditions which the owner or possessor of the land either caused, knew about, or should have known about.
Slip and fall are accidents are by far the most common claims in New York involving premises liability lawsuits. Causes include foreign substances, uneven surfaces, holes on the walking surface, or defects on a floor or stairway.
Other common types of premises liability actions include but are not limited to dog bites and animal attacks. A property owner in New York is strictly liable for dog bits.
