Buffalo Premises Liability Attorney

Syracuse and Rochester Slip-and-Fall Injury Lawyer

Property owners are obligated by law to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition. If a dangerous condition causes an accident, the owner may be held responsible for injuries that result based on one's actual or constructive notice of the condition.

Craig Z. Small has handled personal injury and premises liability claims since 1994. He has the experience and work ethic necessary to recover excellent results on your behalf.

To schedule a free initial consultation in our Buffalo law office, call 716.462.6618 or contact us online.

Examples of Premises Liability Accidents

Attorney Craig Z. Small represents people who have been injured due to a variety of dangerous conditions:

• Broken stairs
• Faulty ramps
• Holes or cracks in sidewalks or floors
• Slippery floors in restaurants or grocery stores
• Icy parking lots and driveways

Dog bites or animal bites are a variation of premises liability and may also result in a claim if the animal owner knows that its pet has bitten someone in the past, or has displayed "vicious propensities". When a dog does not bite, but knocks someone down causing injury such as a broken arm or hip, this may also be a case of premises liability.

New York Premises Liability Law

With respect to dangerous and defective property conditions, the law states that the property owner may be responsible for injuries if he had either actual or constructive notice of a dangerous or defective condition. No proof of notice is necessary if the owner created the condition.

The law states that the owner may be responsible if he/she either:

a) knew about the condition,
b) should have known about the condition; or
c) caused the condition to exist.

Either way, if someone slips and falls, the property owner may be liable under premises liability law for the injuries caused.

Actual Notice and Constructive Notice

If the owner created the condition or was told about it and did nothing to correct it, he or she has received actual notice. Actual means that the property owner knew about the condition.

Constructive notice means the property owner knew or should have known about the condition.

An example of constructive notice might occur in a grocery store where a broken jar with its product remained on the store floor for a reasonable amount of time. If a customer slips and falls, the grocery store may be liable. Another example may be where ice has accumulated on a sidewalk or walkway over the course of several days without being cleared or salted. If not resolved, an injury from a slip may result in liability.

Contact Us

For a free consultation to discuss a premises liability negligence claim with an experienced lawyer, contact our law office online or call our Buffalo office at 716.462.6618.