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Request A Call HereLiving in New York City, office buildings are an inescapable part of life. Many of us perform the basic tasks of our employment in office buildings. We spend long hours in these buildings, and expect their owners, management companies, and maintenance crews to create a safe working environment for us year-round.
But with their size, and architectural intricacy, office buildings in New York present multiple hazards, both to employees and visitors, if they are not maintained in reasonably safe condition. Dangerous conditions in office buildings often result in serious slip, trip and fall accidents, threatening the lives and livelihoods of those working within.
Were you injured in a slip and fall accident in a New York office building? The experienced personal injury attorneys at Banville Law have helped the victims of office building slip and fall accidents for decades. With years of experience, professional expertise, and a profound understanding of the burdens facing NYC’s slip and fall victims, our lawyers occupy a strategic position between compassionate personalized counsel and aggressive legal advocacy.
For those injured in New York City’s office buildings, our office building slip and fall lawyers seek out any and all parties who may be liable, pursuing professional accountability and maximum compensation for our clients’ damages.
Understandably, many slip, trip, and fall accidents that take place in office buildings occur while the victim is working. On any given day, you’ll see employees running from one office to another, using the elevator to travel between floors, and crossing lobbies to deliver documents. One carelessly forgotten puddle, torn bit of carpeting, or unsecured electrical wire separates a productive day from several weeks in the hospital and a stack of medical bills. Even those of us with jobs that require little physical activity risk suffering slip, trip, and fall accidents in an NYC office building.
Where should victims turn for assistance after an office building slip and fall accident? Banville Law can help. Often there are some common questions that arise, and we will attempt to address them below:
Most office workers in NYC choose to seek compensation for their injuries through the New York Workers Compensation system and, for many, that is a good option. If you suffered injury in a slip and fall accident performing the duties of your employment, New York State’s Workers Compensation system will most likely cover your necessary medical treatment and lost wages.
But seeking compensation through this system limits an injured employee’s ability to seek reimbursement for pain and suffering and other associated “non-economic damages.” It also prevents a worker injured in an office building slip & fall accident from directly suing their employer.
Many victims of slip, trip and fall accidents think that, after claiming benefits through New York’s Workers Compensation system, they have exhausted their options for reimbursement. But in the event that your employer was not responsible for your office building slip and fall, you may also be able to seek compensation from negligent third-parties.
Even if an injured office worker pursues compensation through their employer’s workers compensation insurance policy, they may also be able to seek third-party liability in a personal injury lawsuit.
With the help of an experienced accident lawyer in New York City, victims can precisely determine the factors that led to their accident and hold responsible parties liable. In our decades of experience assisting New York City’s slip and fall accident victims, the attorneys at Banville Law have found the following parties generally responsible for the injuries of our office building slip and fall clients:
With so many players involved in the administration of any given office building, determining responsibility for a slip and fall accident is a complex task requiring the services of a personal injury attorney. The slip and fall lawyers at Banville Law work closely with professional accident investigators to explore every avenue for compensation.
According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), slips and falls present the major cause of lost work days. Also, slips and trips are the major cause of compensation of workers claims plus the major cause of work injury for persons aged 55 years and above. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2002 22 percent of slip/trip hazards resulted in over 31 days absent from work. Therefore, it is important to understand the risks and learn how to prevent them.
Slips happen due to less traction or friction between the surface and footwear. Frequent causes of slips include:
Trips occur when the foot hits an object making you lose the balance and finally fall. Frequent causes of tripping include:
Both slip and trip result from an unexpected or unintended alteration in the contact between the sole and the walking surface. Therefore, good housekeeping, choice of proper footwear, quality of flooring, plus proper pace of walking are vital for preventing slip and trip accidents.
This is one of the most important ways of preventing fall accidents because of slip and trips in the office. It entails:
Changing walking surfaces through replacing or re-coating floors, installing mats, synthetic or metal decking, etc. reduces the risk of slip and trip.
In offices, floors may be wet or oily due to people walking outdoors frequently. With proper footwear, you will prevent fall accidents. In addition, proper footwear prevents fatigue and increases comfort which as a result improves the employee’s safety. To get more details about proper footwear, visit foot safety.
A few things to do while in the office to prevent the risk of slipping on wet flooring include:
You can also minimize the risk of tripping by ensuring that things you are pushing or carrying don’t obstruct you from seeing spills, objects, etc. on the way. Office safety is imperative for everyone in the workplace.
Read more: 16-Year-Old Now Has Chronic Pain From Fall Accident