Injury Lawyer in Queens Answers: What Should I Do After a Winter Slip-and-Fall? [Video Q&A]

Slip-and-fall incidents can result in serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Winter weather conditions increase the risk of a slip-and-fall. Snow and ice can make sidewalks and parking lots incredibly dangerous. After you slip and fall on an unshoveled sidewalk that has been poorly salted, you should act immediately. Seek medical care, take photos, and note the date, time, and location of the incident. As soon as possible, reach out to an injury lawyer in Queens. Taking prompt action can support a strong personal injury claim, increasing the chances of receiving compensation for medical bills as well as pain and suffering.

At Matera & Manley, our attorneys have decades of experience representing clients after icy, poorly maintained property leads to serious injuries.

What Happens After You Slip and Fall on an Unshoveled Sidewalk?

One of the biggest questions our attorneys hear, especially in the winter months, is: What happens when I fall on a sidewalk or parking lot that wasn’t properly shoveled?

Liability after a winter fall often turns on (1) whether the owner had a legal duty to clear the sidewalk or parking lot, and (2) whether they did so in a reasonably safe way that is not negligent. This includes how they handled any remaining snow or ice.

Under NYC Administrative Code § 16‑123, property owners, lessees, tenants, and occupants whose property is next to a paved sidewalk have a legal obligation to remove snow and ice from the sidewalk and neighboring gutter within set time frames after the snow stops. Specifically:

• Most owners or occupants next to a paved sidewalk must clear snow and ice, usually within four hours after snowfall that ends during daytime hours. Failure to do so may lead to city fines and/or civil liability should someone slip and fall as a result.
• In Queens and Staten Island, owners or occupants whose property has more than 500+ feet of a paved sidewalk or public space have some wiggle room, but the duty still exists. They must begin shoveling within the four‑hour window and complete within a reasonable time.
• Lease terms can shift day‑to‑day shoveling responsibility to tenants. However, the legal duty under the code ultimately rests on the owner.

Other nuances in your accident can come into play. For instance, you may still be able to file a claim if the person responsible for clearing the snow shovels, but leaves enough for someone to slip and fall. Working with an injury lawyer in Queens is key to positioning a claim that takes these nuances into account.

Why You Need an Injury Lawyer in Queens After a Slip and Fall

Having the right attorney for a slip-and-fall accident case is very important. The right attorney will ensure the area where the client has fallen is photographed. They’re going to make sure they do property owner searches and confirm who owns the property. In slip-and-fall cases, where evidence can change within hours or minutes, they’ll instruct you to take photos at the scene. Alternatively, our attorneys can work to subpoena security footage if available.

We use the facts of the case to determine whether the property owner or the responsible person should have been aware of the icy conditions and taken steps to address them. Based on what the law says, we also work to develop a personal injury claim that compiles all the evidence in your case. This increases the likelihood of a fair claim that covers your medical bills and pain and suffering.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Slip-and-fall accidents are incredibly common, especially in the winter months. If you fell and suffered injury because a property owner failed to clear the area, you may still have a case. Reaching out to an injury lawyer in Queens can help you understand how the law applies in your situation.

At Matera & Manley, we support clients who have slipped and fallen in the icy winter months. Our attorneys are highly experienced with holding negligent owners in Queens accountable when their failure to shovel and clear their property leads to injury. Schedule a free consultation to learn if you have a case.