Immediate Steps After a Serious Slip and Fall

What You Do Right Now Could Change Everything

Accidents in New York don’t give you a heads-up. One second you’re walking to work, grabbing coffee, or catching a train and then, you're flat on the pavement. Sidewalk cracks, uncleared snow, broken tiles, missing handrails. These aren’t just annoyances. They’re triggers for painful, sometimes life-changing injuries.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our slip and fall attorneys represent people who’ve been hurt in serious falls throughout New York City, from Staten Island doorsteps to Queens retail stores. 

We also serve clients in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Our team understands the laws in each of these states and how to push back when property owners or insurers refuse to take responsibility.

Your next move matters. If you’ve been injured, this isn’t just about a sore back or a few bruises. It could impact your job, your finances, even your ability to get around. We’re here to help you act quickly and smartly so that you don’t lose the opportunity to get justice.

Where Things Tend to Go Wrong in NYC Falls

There’s no single cause behind a bad fall. In a city like this, it’s a mix: weather, old buildings, high foot traffic, and poor maintenance. The conditions shift block by block, but the injuries are real and preventable.

• Rain-Soaked Floors in Public Buildings. Lobbies in government buildings, especially in Midtown, collect water fast during bad weather. Without proper floor mats or caution signs, water puddles create immediate hazards. Many visitors are rushing, distracted, or simply don’t expect danger inside a building—making the risk even higher.
• Uneven or Damaged Surfaces. Cracked sidewalks in Harlem and Astoria create major tripping hazards, especially for people with mobility issues. Tree roots often lift slabs of concrete, turning what should be a flat path into a jagged mess. Utility covers or grates that sit unevenly with surrounding pavement only make things worse.
• Poorly Maintained Stairwells. Loose handrails or broken steps are a major issue in older walkups across Brooklyn and the Bronx. These stairwells are sometimes poorly lit, making it difficult to see defects until it’s too late. Complaints to landlords or supers often go unanswered, even when the danger is obvious.

Who Should’ve Fixed the Problem Before You Got Hurt

Accountability doesn’t come easy, especially in a city this big. But under New York law, property owners are required to keep their spaces safe especially for tenants, shoppers, or visitors. If someone dropped the ball, they may owe you more than an apology.

In private properties, the responsibility typically falls on the landlord or business owner. They have a duty to inspect, repair, and warn about unsafe conditions. Grocery store in Brooklyn? Nail salon in the East Village? If it’s open to the public, it has to be reasonably safe.

Public places are a different story. If your fall happened on a subway platform, in a public housing building, or on a sidewalk outside a government facility, your claim could involve the City of New York. 

These cases require a Notice of Claim within 90 days, or you lose the right to sue. These deadlines are firm, and most people don’t even know they exist until it’s too late.

What to Do Immediately If You’ve Been Hurt in a Fall

The shock from a fall can mask just how badly you’re injured. But in the hours that follow, what you do, or don’t do, can shape your entire claim. If you’re able, take action while the scene is still fresh.

Start by getting medical care and diagnostic tests. Don’t brush it off. Visit an urgent care or a hospital like Mount Sinai or NYC Health + Hospitals. Even if the pain feels manageable, internal injuries can develop quietly. And without a documented visit, it’s harder to prove the fall caused your injuries.

Next, take photos and videos of the area, ideally before anything gets cleaned or repaired. Capture the surface, lighting, signage, and any visible damage. Talk to witnesses and get their contact info. If the fall happened inside a business, ask to file an incident report and request a copy. These steps are protective.

How New York Law Looks at These Cases

New York uses a system called comparative negligence. That means more than one person, or party, can share the blame. You might be partly responsible, but that doesn’t automatically disqualify you from getting compensated.

Let’s say you tripped on a cracked sidewalk outside a deli, but were looking at your phone. A court might find you 20% at fault. If your damages total $100,000, you could still recover $80,000. It’s about sharing responsibility fairly.

Also, be aware of deadlines. For most private properties, you have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. But for public property, that 90-day window to file a Notice of Claim applies. And once that’s filed, you usually have 1 year and 90 days to start your suit.

What You Can Be Compensated For

Injury claims are about more than just your current bills. A serious fall can affect how you move, work, and live for years. Compensation should reflect the full scope of your losses—today and tomorrow.

• Medical Costs. Emergency room bills, imaging scans, and follow-up visits are all compensable. If you're prescribed physical therapy or long-term treatment, those expenses can be included in your claim. Expenses related to medical equipment—like crutches, braces, or wheelchairs—are also covered. Even travel costs to and from medical appointments may qualify for reimbursement.
• Lost Wages and Job Impact. A fall that keeps you away from work results in lost income, which you can claim. If your hours are reduced or you miss job opportunities while recovering, that financial gap matters. Freelancers and independent contractors can include canceled gigs or lost clients in their calculation. If the injury limits your ability to work long-term, future earnings loss becomes a major part of your claim.
• Physical and Emotional Pain. Chronic pain, limited mobility, and psychological impacts, like anxiety or depression, can all be part of your claim. Pain that disrupts sleep, daily activities, or your ability to enjoy life matters. These are damages. The more lasting the effect, the more weight it carries in a settlement.

Time Moves Fast. Evidence Disappears Faster.

The longer you wait to act, the harder it becomes to hold anyone accountable. Surveillance footage is deleted. Witnesses vanish. Property owners make quick repairs. And that proof? Gone.

New York law won’t wait around. If a public agency is involved, that 90-day countdown starts the moment you hit the ground. Even in private cases, waiting months to report or document your injury gives the other side room to deny, deflect, or devalue your claim.

Taking quick action doesn’t mean rushing into court. It means protecting yourself. Seeing a doctor. Collecting proof. Talking to a legal team that understands how these cases actually play out. Our personal injury attorneys help injured people take the right steps before it’s too late.

Your Injury Is Real. So Is Your Right to Be Compensated.

A fall can happen fast but the impact stays with you. 

If someone else’s carelessness caused your injury, the law gives you a path forward. That path isn’t always clear. But with the right legal support, it’s possible to get compensated for everything you’ve lost and everything you still need.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we take slip and fall injuries seriously. We serve clients throughout New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine with one goal: to make sure injured people are heard, respected, and paid what they’re owed. We handle the legal pressure so you can focus on moving forward.

Don’t let someone else’s carelessness leave you carrying the weight. Call our trusted New York attorneys to arrange a complimentary case review. We’ll take on the fight, protect your rights, and push for every dollar the law allows.