People in New York may think that now that summer is here and wintertime ice and snow are a thing of the past, that people generally won’t suffer a slip-and-fall accident outdoors. However, it is entirely possible to encounter outdoor conditions leading to a slip-and-fall accident even in the summertime. Therefore, it is important to know who may be held responsible for a slip-and-fall accident, should the accident victim choose to pursue a premises liability claim.
For example, a person could fall outside due to inadequate outdoor lighting in parking lots or stairwells. If conditions are too dark, a person might not notice uneven surfaces. When this happens, the property owner may be responsible for the injuries the slip-and-fall accident victim suffered if it can be shown that the property owner either knew or should have known that the lighting on their premises was inadequate and did not do anything to fix it.
In addition, parking lots can be the location of an outdoor slip-and-fall accident. For example, there could be cracks or abrupt height differences that a person trips over, or there could be potholes that cause a person to fall. If a property owner does not keep their parking lot in a condition that is reasonably safe for those who may be on it, they could be responsible for any subsequent injuries.
These are two common ways a property owner could be responsible for an outdoor slip-and-fall accident, even in the summertime. However, the information in this post is for general purposes only and cannot serve as the basis for any legal filing. Those who have been injured in an outdoor slip-and-fall accident and wish to file a premises liability claim will want to make sure they have the help necessary to identify the proper responsible parties.
