Slipping and Falling on Long Island College Campuses

As winter weather arrives here on Long Island, and with numerous college campuses here, including Hofstra, Adelphi, Post, SUNY Farmingdale andNassau Community College, the frequency of students tripping and falling increases. Daylight hours are decreased, and ice and snow may make surfaces slippery. Ice causes many winter slip and fall accidents, either because of the ice itself or because it leaves roads and sidewalks with dangerous cracks, potholes and lifts.

It doesn’t help that many college kids are out late partying and drinking in dorms, at houses, or in bars, clubs or restaurants. Unfortunately, crowds of young kids may not always be too careful when they are out walking, especially late at night when visibility is low.

On a typical Friday night, Long Island college kids might go to the Hempstead Turnpikebars in anticipation of having some fun. But when under the influence of alcohol, college students have an even higher chance of slipping and falling, whether it is on ice, debris, a cracked sidewalk or just drunken carelessness. The resulting injuries could be anything from a bruised knee to a serious head injury.

It is important to know your rights if your child, or anyone in your family, has a slip and fall accident. Some questions to determine the strength of your case:

• Did the properly owners fail to clear ice and snow from a storm in a reasonable time? If it snowed a week before the accident and snow and ice are still on the ground, that may be a case. But if it is snowing at the time of the accident, then probably there is not a case.
• Was the walkway or sidewalk properly maintained? Are there loose bricks, cracks, lifts or other factors that would be known dangers?
• Were the property owners put on notice of any dangers with their walkway? Was there a recent accident in the same spot?
• Was their sufficient lighting?
• Was the injured person negligent in some way, by either not paying attention to where they were going, careless or under the influence of alcohol? There still may be a case, but sometimes negligence may be split between the victim and the property owner.

Have questions? Contact us for a free consultation. Neal Goldstein and Bob Bashner have 40+ years of experience pursuing and winning slip and fall cases on Long Island. They will discuss your specific case, answer all your questions and let you know your legal options. There is no obligation and never a fee unless you get an award or settlement.