NYC Sidewalk Cellar Door Attorney

New York residents rely on the over 12,000 miles of city sidewalks to safely reach destinations within their communities. Many of the city’s older commercial and residential districts have cellar doors and grates originally intended for coal deliveries and now used for storage and delivery. NYC residents navigate these sidewalk cellar doors without a second thought, but this depends heavily on property owners’ compliance with maintenance requirements to prevent pedestrian injuries.

Unfortunately, not all property owners uphold this legal obligation, and the result may be a serious injury. A NYC premises liability attorney can help you through the claim process to recover compensation for injuries through a premises liability claim.

Call our firm at (212) 564-2800 to schedule a free consult today.

What Are New York City’s Requirements for Sidewalk Cellar Doors?

New York City’s Administrative Code for Sidewalk Rules puts requirements in place for property owners with sidewalks abutting their property. These include the following safety requirements for sidewalk cellar doors:

When a property owner has their cellar door open, an individual must remain present to alert passersby to go around the opening
Sidewalk cellar doors must be flush with the sidewalk or no more than1/2 inch above or below sidewalk level
Cellar doors must be strong enough to resist bending underfoot
The sidewalk surrounding a cellar door should be well-maintained and free of cracks, gaps, or dips
Sidewalk cellar doors must have non-slip surfaces
Cellar doors must remain free of protruding hardware that could cause a pedestrian to trip

All property owners have a legal duty of care to regularly inspect their properties, identify safety risks to others, and promptly repair or correct hazardous conditions. Failing to meet these legal duties of care leaves the property owner liable if a pedestrian suffers an injury.

What Types of Injuries Are Caused by Sidewalk Cellar Door Accidents?

When we consider sidewalk cellar door accidents, we often imagine a pedestrian falling into an open cellar. Though this type of accident sometimes occurs, and often causes the most serious injuries, trip-and-fall accidents and slip-and-fall accidents on sidewalk cellar doors are more commonly the cause of injuries. Common NYC cellar door injuries include the following:

Soft-tissue injuries like muscle sprains, strains, and ligament tears
Back injuries
Neck injuries
Fractures
Abrasions, contusions, and lacerations
Traumatic brain injuries, which can range from concussions and hematomas to more severe permanent injuries
Facial and dental trauma
Spinal cord injuries

Few experiences are as distressing as falling on a public city sidewalk, especially when it causes serious injuries that require expensive medical treatment and temporarily or permanently disrupt your ability to work — a New York City slip and fall lawyer will guide you to financial compensation.

What Damages Can I Recover In a NYC Sidewalk Cellar Door Accident Claim?

Damages add up quickly after an injury. When a property owner’s negligence causes you to suffer a costly and painful injury, you have the right to seek compensation under New York’s Civil Practice Law & Rules (CVP) CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 14-A, the rule of pure comparative negligence.

. A successful New York City premises liability claim recovers damages such as the following:

Reimbursement for past medical expenses
Anticipated future medical expenses
Out-of-pocket costs
Lost earnings
Future income loss and diminished future earning capacity
Compensation for pain and suffering

Additional damages may be available for those who suffer catastrophic or permanent injuries, such as disability, scarring, or loss of enjoyment of life.

Contact The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel About Your NYC Sidewalk Cellar Door Injury

Injuries are distressing, disruptive, and painful. Instead of adding a challenging legal procedure to your recovery process, call or contact The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel for legal representation, then let us maximize your financial recovery while you work on maximizing your physical recovery.