Major win for a 78-year-old who tripped and fell on a broken sidewalk

Our client, a 78-year-old woman, was leaving her regular weekly Bingo game at St. Joseph’s church in New York City when she tripped and fell on a defective sidewalk. She was very badly injured.She suffered head trauma, a fracture and ruptured tendons in her arm, and a dislocated shoulder. She required surgery and spent three months on bed rest.The crack and break in the sidewalk was less than an inch. A small crack like this had been deemed unsubstantial in past cases. The Bronx Supreme Court  judge agreed and dismissed the case. We felt this case had merit.

Our lawyers believed this client had a strong case and serious injuries as a result of the church’s negligence. We appealed the decision and, with the help of our engineers, we were able to show that the sidewalk defect was a “substantial defect.” We also had our client testify that the condition had been present for a period of time, and we provided photographic evidence that demonstrated the defect was visible. She won and was thrilled to receive the compensation to help pay her bills and recover without the added financial stress.