Stairway Accidents

Stairway accidents are a very frequent type of accident within the area of cases known as “premises liability.” Premises liability cases include, among others, slip or trip and fall accidents on sidewalks and walkways, defective maintenance inside structures and buildings, such as wet floors or overly waxed floors, and injuries due to falling debris on construction sites or merchandise in supermarkets and big box stores. For example, we have represented a number of clients who have been injured by falling merchandise at Home Depot and Sam’s Club.

Stairway accidents can be caused by inadequate lighting, loose stairs, defective risers or treads, lack of railings, railings at an improper height, or railings only on one side of a stairway, debris on the stairs, slippery treads due to wear, liquid or excessive wax, or unequal spacing between the stairs. In representing clients who have been injured in stairway falls, it is essential that you retain a law firm experienced in litigating these cases from their inception, through trial, who know how to conduct a proper investigation, retain the necessary documents and experts, such as engineers, architects and construction professionals, depose the critical witnesses and prepare the case for trial if necessary.

At the Law Offices of Mark A. Siesel, with offices conveniently located in White Plains, the Bronx, and Peekskill, New York, we have represented clients throughout the State Of New York, in both the state and federal Courts, since 1986. Many of our clients have suffered severe and sometimes life altering injuries in stairway accidents. Upon our retention by the client, we conduct an immediate investigation of the location of the accident and secure all possible witness statements. We obtain photographs of the defective condition (if it still exists) to ensure that this evidence is preserved for an arbitrator, jury or judge’s evaluation. Additionally, and critically, we determine if there were prior accidents of a similar nature which can establish the vital legal prerequisite of notice of a defect against the owner of the premises, such as Freedom of Information requests to the local building department for violations. In cases in which the stairs are owned or operated by a municipality such as a city, town or village, it is essential that you retain counsel who has the background and knowledge to successfully prosecute the claim promptly, as the time frame to commence these claims is much shorter than cases against private property owners.

In some cases, it is necessary to retain the services of professional engineers, architects or other professionals to inspect the stairway, the lighting on the stairs, and to make an assessment as to whether there is a violation of the local building codes and other municipal statutes.

At the Law Office of Mark A. Siesel, we have successfully represented clients throughout the State of New York for over 27 years who suffered injuries in stairway accidents due to the negligence of owners of malls, apartment buildings, private houses, big box stores, supermarkets, restaurants, museums, and various other properties. We pride ourselves on quickly thoroughly determining all possible parties that are responsible for our clients’ damages, including pain and suffering, past and future medical and hospital bills, past and future lost earnings, loss of earnings potential, and loss of the ability to perform activities of daily living. We retain all the necessary experts as needed, including engineers, vocational rehabilitation experts and economists. Contact the knowledgeable and experienced lawyers at the Law Offices of Mark A. Siesel for a free consultation to discuss your potential case. Contact us anytime at (914) 428-7386 or online.