New York City
Snow And Ice Injury Attorney

When winter storms leave layers of ice and snow on sidewalks, parking lots, and streets, the environment becomes incredibly dangerous for everyone. If these hazardous conditions lead to a major injury, the property owners, motorists, or other parties involved might be responsible for the harm you suffered. The New York City ice and snow lawyers at The Silbowitz Firm provide the support you need to seek the money required for your recovery. You can reach us at (646) 419-5344 to talk about your situation during a free consultation.

Legal Obligations for Property Owners in New York

Under New York law, property owners and businesses have a specific legal duty to manage snow and ice on their premises to keep visitors safe. This includes clearing walkways, stairs, and entryways within a reasonable timeframe after a storm ends. Even after a sidewalk is shoveled, melting snow can refreeze into thin sheets of black ice that are nearly impossible to see, meaning owners must also use salt or sand to prevent slips.

The city and state government also have a role in maintaining public infrastructure like bridges and overpasses where falling ice can strike vehicles or pedestrians below. Determining who is at fault for a fall or a crash often depends on the specific location of the incident and whether the person in charge of that space acted quickly enough to fix the danger. Because these cases involve complex local ordinances and specific timelines for filing claims against the city, identifying the right defendant is a high priority.

Auto Accidents Involving Snow and Ice

While property owners must look after their land, drivers in New York must also adjust their behavior when the roads are slick and visibility is low. If a driver fails to slow down or leave enough space and ends up hitting your vehicle, their insurance company might try to blame the weather, but we focus on showing how their choices caused the wreck. Mitchell Silbowitz has been fighting for injury victims since 1989 and understands how to prove that a driver was being careless despite the winter conditions.

Compensation Available for Ice & Snow Accidents

People who are hurt because of poorly maintained paths or reckless driving in New York City have the right to seek damages for their losses. Damages is the legal word used to describe the money paid to victims to make up for what they lost after an accident. This financial recovery often falls into several categories:

Economic Damages: these are the actual bills and financial hits you take, such as:

• Medical bills: including the cost of the ambulance, stays in the hospital, physical therapy sessions, and all your prescriptions.
• In-home medical care
• Property repair or replacement
• Lost wages from missed work
• Diminished earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your old job or working the same hours as before.

Non-Economic Damages: these are harder to calculate because they do not come with a receipt, but they represent the real impact on your life, including:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of opportunity
• Loss of consortium
• Physical impairment like a permanent disability
• Disfigurement
• Unjust hardship

Punitive Damages in Injury Lawsuits

In very rare cases, a court might order a defendant to pay extra money if their behavior was shockingly reckless or showed a total disregard for the safety of others. This is meant to punish the person who caused the harm and send a message to others that such behavior will not be tolerated in our community.

Speak With Our New York City Ice & Snow Lawyers

To get the money you deserve, you must show that another person or company failed to do what they were supposed to do. Mitchell Silbowitz has helped clients win more than 1,000 cases in New York City, Long Island, and other counties across the state, including those involving falls and car accidents. If you are going through the aftermath of a serious injury, our team can help you figure out if you have a legal claim. Call (646) 419-5344 today to set up your free consultation and start the process of moving forward.