New York City & Long Island · Free Consultation
NEW YORK'S
TRIP AND FALL ATTORNEY
Property owners and their insurers start building a defense the moment you fall. HaddLegal builds your case from day one — documenting the hazard, identifying who was responsible for it, and preparing every trip and fall claim as if it’s going to trial.
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Written and reviewed by
Founder, HaddLegal · Admitted to the New York State Bar · J.D., New York Law School
Last updated: September 19, 2026
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FIGHTING FOR MAXIMUM COMPENSATION
The property owner’s insurer already has a strategy. You need one too.
If you were hurt in a trip and fall or slip and fall accident anywhere in New York, understand one thing immediately: the property owner and its insurance company have likely already begun building a case to protect their own interests.
The hazard gets repaired, the spill gets mopped up, and surveillance footage gets overwritten — often within days.
At HaddLegal, we represent injured New Yorkers against landlords, building owners, property managers, store chains, and the defense law firms that protect them.
Property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe premises. When they fail to do so and someone is hurt, they can and should be held accountable under New York premises liability law.
Rather than reacting to defense tactics, we move first: preserving evidence, identifying every responsible party — including the City when a Notice of Claim is required — and building claims designed to recover full compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and future care.
Call today for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case.
Trip and Fall Cases We Handle Across New York
No two falls are the same, and each type of case requires a different legal strategy. Below are the most common types of trip and fall and slip and fall cases we handle throughout New York:
Sidewalk Trip and Falls
Raised slabs, cracks, missing curb cuts, and broken pavement cause many of the falls we see. Under NYC Administrative Code § 7-210, the owner of the adjacent property is often responsible for the sidewalk — not the City. Working with a trip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn or elsewhere across New York who knows how to identify the right defendant is critical to your recovery.
Stairway & Handrail Falls
Broken or uneven steps, loose treads, missing or unstable handrails, and poorly lit stairwells are common in apartment buildings and older properties. Building code and Multiple Dwelling Law violations can help prove liability. Working with a trip and fall lawyer in Queens or elsewhere across New York is critical to proving it.
Wet Floor & Spill Slip and Falls
Spills, leaks, freshly mopped floors, and tracked-in rainwater cause slip and falls in supermarkets, stores, restaurants, and lobbies. Insurers argue the owner had no notice of the hazard. Working with a slip and fall lawyer in Manhattan or elsewhere across New York who moves quickly to secure video and cleaning logs is critical to your recovery.
Snow & Ice Falls
Owners must clear snow and ice within a reasonable time after a storm ends. Defense lawyers routinely invoke the “storm in progress” rule to avoid liability. Weather records and maintenance logs often decide these cases. Working with a slip and fall lawyer in the Bronx or elsewhere across New York is critical to your recovery.
Apartment Building & Landlord Falls
Landlords must keep hallways, stairs, lobbies, and common areas in good repair. Torn carpeting, broken tiles, and missing lighting are recurring hazards — often reported by tenants long before someone gets hurt. Working with a trip and fall lawyer in Staten Island or elsewhere across New York is critical to proving the landlord knew.
Parking Lot & Store Entrance Falls
Potholes, wheel stops, uneven thresholds, cluttered aisles, and unsafe displays cause serious falls at shopping centers and commercial properties. Owners, tenants, and maintenance contractors often point at each other. Working with a trip and fall lawyer on Long Island or elsewhere across New York is critical to your recovery.
Hurt in a Trip and Fall in New York?
HaddLegal represents people injured in trip and fall and slip and fall accidents throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island.
WHERE WE PRACTICE
TRIP AND FALL LAWYERS BY LOCATION
Every borough has its own property stock, its own courts, and its own jury pool. A localized strategy directly impacts case value.
IN THE FIRST 24 HOURS
WHAT TO DO AFTER A TRIP AND FALL IN NEW YORK
What you do in the hours and days after a fall directly impacts your case.
1. Get medical treatment immediately
Go to the ER or your doctor and describe exactly how you fell. Gaps in treatment are one of the most common reasons claims get undervalued.
2. Report the fall
Tell the store manager, landlord, or building staff, and ask that an incident report be made. Write down the name of the person you spoke to.
3. Photograph the hazard
Take photos of the exact spot — the crack, step, spill, or ice — before it is repaired or cleaned. Include something for scale and the surrounding lighting.
4. Keep your shoes and get witness information
Save the footwear and clothing you wore, and collect names and phone numbers of anyone who saw the fall.
5. Contact a trip and fall lawyer
Surveillance video is often erased within days. The earlier a lawyer is involved, the more evidence can be preserved.
How Trip and Fall Cases Work Under New York Law
Understanding premises liability law is critical, because insurance companies rely on confusion to reduce payouts.
Premises Liability
Notice is the key
To win a trip and fall case, you generally must show a dangerous condition existed and the owner:
- Created the hazard, or
- Knew or should have known about it and failed to fix it
NYC Admin. Code § 7-210
Sidewalk responsibility
In New York City, the owner of the adjacent property is usually responsible for maintaining the sidewalk, including:
- Raised or cracked slabs
- Broken or uneven pavement
- Snow and ice removal
CPLR § 1411
Comparative Fault
Even if you were partially at fault — for example, looking at your phone — you can still recover. Your damages are reduced, not eliminated.
CPLR § 214
Statute of limitations
You generally have 3 years to file suit. If the City, NYCHA, or another public entity is responsible, a Notice of Claim may be due within 90 days.
CASE VALUE
How Much is Your New York Trip and Fall Case Worth?
There is no “average” trip and fall case value. Every case is different.
Your compensation may include:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent injury, scarring, or loss of range of motion
- Future surgery, therapy, and medical care
The truth is this:
Your case is worth what you can prove—and how aggressively it is litigated.
LEVERAGE
Why Hiring the Right New York Trip and Fall Lawyer Changes Everything
Insurance companies keep internal data on law firms. They know which lawyers settle quickly, which lawyers avoid trial, and which lawyers are willing to fight. That directly impacts how your trip and fall case is valued.
At HaddLegal, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial — including demanding surveillance video, maintenance records, and prior complaints early. That is how leverage is created.
Why Hire HaddLegal?
✓We represent injured New Yorkers — not landlords or insurance companies
✓You get direct access to your attorney
✓We build aggressive, trial-ready cases
✓We do not accept lowball settlements
✓You pay nothing unless we win
We are not here to process your case. We are here to win it.
THE REALITY
Why Most New York Trip and Fall Victims Get Underpaid
Property insurers do not evaluate claims fairly. They evaluate risk.
They are trained to:
- Claim you should have seen the hazard
- Argue the defect was too small to matter
- Deny the owner knew about the condition
- Blame pre-existing conditions and prior injuries
- Delay your claim until you are financially desperate
If you do not have a lawyer, you are at a disadvantage from day one.
If you have the wrong lawyer, you are still at a disadvantage.
You are not just dealing with a fall.
You are dealing with property owners, insurance companies, defense attorneys, and a system designed to reduce your claim. We fight back. Call now for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.
MEET YOUR ATTORNEY
Why Hire HaddLegal as Your Trip and Fall Attorney?
When you are injured in a trip and fall accident in New York, you are not just fighting to recover physically. You are fighting against property owners, insurance companies, and defense law firms whose primary goal is to minimize what they pay you.
I practice law to stand on the other side of that fight.
I was raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and I represent the same working-class families who keep this city moving every day — commuters, laborers, tenants, shoppers, and pedestrians who were simply going about their lives when a dangerous property condition caused a serious injury. I handle trip and fall and slip and fall claims involving:
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Apartment buildings, co-ops, and condos
- Stores, supermarkets, and bodegas
- Restaurants and bars
- Office buildings and commercial properties
- Parking lots and garages
- Construction-adjacent areas and temporary walkways
- City-owned property, NYCHA, and public transit
Do I Have a Trip and Fall Case in New York?
In New York, property owners and those in control of property must take reasonable steps to keep their premises safe. A strong trip and fall case usually involves proof that:
• A dangerous condition existed (uneven surface, defect, spill, broken step)
• The owner or manager created it, knew about it, or should have known about it
• They failed to fix it or warn about it within a reasonable time
• The hazard caused your fall and injuries
Trip and fall injuries are often serious — fractures of the wrist, ankle, or hip, torn ligaments and menisci, herniated discs, rotator cuff tears, and head injuries. In the worst cases, a fall leads to wrongful death claims. If you needed ER care, imaging, physical therapy, injections, or surgery, your claim may be significant.
If you were injured in a New York trip and fall, do not face the property owner’s insurance company alone.
Trip and Fall FAQs
How long do I have to file a trip and fall lawsuit in New York?
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You generally have 3 years from the fall. If the City of New York, NYCHA, or another public entity is responsible, you usually must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days.
Who is responsible if I trip on a New York City sidewalk?
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Under NYC Administrative Code § 7-210, the owner of the adjacent property is usually responsible for maintaining the sidewalk. Owner-occupied one-, two-, and three-family homes used only as residences are an exception, and in those cases the City may be responsible.
Can I sue if I slipped on snow or ice?
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Often, yes. Property owners must clear snow and ice within a reasonable time after a storm ends. Under the “storm in progress” rule, owners are generally not liable for falls that happen while the storm is still ongoing, so weather records and timing matter.
What if I was partly at fault for my fall?
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You can still recover. Under New York’s comparative negligence law, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but your claim is not eliminated.
Does the defect have to be a certain size?
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No. New York has no minimum height rule. Courts look at the size, depth, location, lighting, and other circumstances to decide whether a defect was dangerous or too trivial to be actionable.
What should I do if I fell in a store or supermarket?
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Report the fall, ask for an incident report, photograph the hazard, and contact a lawyer quickly. Store surveillance footage is often erased within days unless someone demands that it be preserved.
How much does a trip and fall lawyer cost?
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There are no upfront fees. HaddLegal handles trip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Explore Our New York Trip and Fall Resources
Trip and fall cases often overlap with claims against the City, construction sites, and workplace injuries. Explore the pages below for more on the cases HaddLegal handles throughout New York City and Long Island.
Hurt in a Trip and Fall in New York?
HaddLegal represents people injured in trip and fall and slip and fall accidents throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island.
