If a building code violation is the cause of a slip and fall accident, proof of that violation is powerful evidence of the owner’s negligence and can be used to bolster an injury claim for compensation. The NYC slip and fall lawyers at Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C., help injured slip and fall accident victims to recover the largest available damages awards from building owners who fail to keep their properties up to code.

Building codes exist to keep guests and visitors safe. Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of New York building codes through our fifty-year history of representing injury victims in and around the City. We use that knowledge to recover full compensation from negligent building owners when building code violations cause harm.

What type of building code violations can lead to a slip and fall claim?

City, County, and State building codes require property owners to implement more than just basic safety measures to protect guests at their property. The owner will be liable for a building code violation, for example, if:

  • Lighting around stairways and corridors is inadequate or broken
  • Safe walkways are not provided around slippery or uneven surfaces
  • Stairs do not have secure handrails
  • Building ingress or egress is blocked and guests need to take unsafe passageways around the blockage
  • Carpets or flooring are loose and unsecured

Showing the existence of a building code violation is the first step in proving the property owner’s liability for damages. The next step is connecting the violation with the slip and fall event itself and demonstrating that the building owner knew or should have known about the violation and the unsafe conditions that led to the accident.

How can a slip and fall attorney prove a liability claim for damages?

In every negligence lawsuit, a lawyer needs to show that the party that is alleged to be negligent owed an obligation to the injured party but failed to fulfill that obligation. A demonstration of a building code violation in a slip and fall lawsuit is strong proof of that duty and failure.

The lawyer then needs to show that the failure was the direct and proximate cause of a slip and fall accident that imposed injuries on the victim. An attorney typically accomplishes this with medical bills and receipts from treating physicians, pay stubs that show how the victim lost wages as a result of not belling able to work while injured, and other evidence of the victim’s pain and suffering.

Call Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb & Green

Even a seemingly-insignificant trip can leave a victim with serious long-term injuries, particularly if the victim hits his or her head in a resulting fall. If you experience a slip and fall accident on account of a building code violation while visiting another person’s property, seek medical treatment for your injuries immediately. Then, call the Manhattan offices of Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C., for a complimentary consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys.

We will thoroughly review your case, verify whether a building violation occurred, and determine your right to recover damages for your injuries from the negligent property owner that failed to keep the premises in full compliance with applicable building codes.