A slip and fall on Long Island can cause broken bones, head injuries, and lasting medical complications. New York premises liability law holds property owners accountable when dangerous conditions like wet supermarket floors, cracked municipal sidewalks, or icy apartment walkways cause serious harm.

At Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, our Long Island slip and fall lawyers investigate the hazard, identify every responsible party and insurance coverage, and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries. You pay no upfront fees, and we only get paid if we win.

Spills get cleaned. Ice melts. Sidewalk defects get patched. Surveillance footage overwrites. A fast, documented response often determines whether you can recover fair compensation.

Call (212) 268-3222 for a free initial consultation with a Long Island slip and fall lawyer at Raphaelson & Levine.

Quick Answers About Slip and Fall Claims on Long Island

After a slip and fall on Long Island, the most important thing you can do — besides seeing a doctor — is preserve evidence and understand your legal options. Here are the questions our attorneys answer most often in the first call.

Why Evidence and Speed Matter in Slip and Fall Cases

Even though New York law often allows time to file, evidence disappears quickly. Many properties rotate or overwrite surveillance video and logs on routine schedules.

When the proof is gone, insurers lean on the same defenses: "no notice," "open and obvious," "you were distracted," "storm in progress," or "you didn't treat promptly."

Our job is to preserve proof early, identify every potentially liable party, and document damages so your claim is not reduced to an insurance negotiation based on incomplete information.

Why Long Island Clients Choose Raphaelson & Levine for Slip and Fall Cases

Slip and fall cases are won on evidence: surveillance footage, maintenance logs, inspection schedules, witness statements, and more. Most of that evidence has a short shelf life. Our Long Island personal injury lawyers move fast to preserve what matters and build cases that produce results.

Our Core Values: The Four R's

Results: Our clients have recovered over $1 billion in compensation.

Resources: Big firm resources, but small firm attention to detail. We work with the top medical experts, life care planners, economists, and spare no expense building the strongest case for our clients.

Reputation: Over 650+ five-star reviews and numerous industry-leading awards, including Best Law Firms Tier 1 rankings, Best Lawyers recognition for 7 attorneys, and New York Law Journal Verdicts & Settlements Hall of Fame.

Respect: Every client becomes a part of our family, and we treat you with respect. We make sure every New Yorker understands their legal rights, the deadlines that matter, and whether they may have a claim — so they can make informed decisions about their future, with clear guidance on what to do next.

Recent Slip and Fall Verdicts & Settlements

• $750K — Trial verdict: neck and back injuries after slipping on an icy rental property walkway. The landlord retained a meteorologist to dispute the claim; our attorneys prevailed at trial.
• $650K — Mediation settlement: a shopper tripped over a shelf protruding into a retail store aisle, suffering a shoulder fracture requiring surgery. Andrew Levine and Howard Raphaelson obtained the recovery.
• $600K — Jury verdict: a pedestrian tripped over a raised utility cover that the city failed to repair, causing severe injuries.
• $600K — Settlement: a tenant with prior health issues slipped on a persistent water condition in an apartment building after repeated written complaints to the landlord went ignored.
• $575K — Award: a teacher slipped while entering a city school building, requiring a direct claim against the municipality.
• $517K — Settlement: a delivery worker fell down a staircase behind a supermarket that had accumulated dirt and debris despite warning signs. The staircase was used solely for deliveries and the supermarket had notice of the condition.
• $499K — Settlement: a visitor suffered a badly fractured ankle on a water slide at a New York amusement park, requiring extensive surgery. The firm overcame a primary assumption-of-risk defense.
• $475K — Settlement: a housing complex resident tripped over an uneven sidewalk, suffering a fractured ankle requiring surgical plates and screws.
• $450K — Settlement: a resident slipped on a wet floor while exiting an elevator in a co-op building. No mats or warning signs were present despite the building's awareness of the condition.
• $275K — Settlement: a restaurant patron tripped on a hidden step at the exit, fracturing her ankle and requiring surgery.
• $260K — Verdict: a tenant slipped on liquid while descending apartment stairs, sustaining a broken wrist that required multiple surgeries.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What Slip and Fall Clients Say

"I slipped and fell due to a wet floor with no warning signs. Raphaelson & Levine built a strong case..." — James T., Slip and Fall (Google Review)

"They understand my situation and I feel like they really care about me as a person..." — Trasonia S., Slip and Fall (Website Review)

"I can't thank my lawyer Dario Martinez and Dominicana enough. I had a slip and fall accident they went above and beyond to make sure I got the best care and..." — Erika M., Slip and Fall (Google Review)

Results vary depending on the facts and circumstances of each case.

How We Prove Notice and Establish Liability

A slip and fall claim usually rises or falls on "notice." There are two common categories:

Actual notice

Actual notice means the owner or manager was told about the hazard before the fall, such as:

• prior written complaints, emails, texts, or work orders
• prior incident reports involving the same condition
• employee or tenant reports confirming the hazard was known

Constructive notice

Constructive notice means the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection should have discovered it, supported by:

• surveillance video showing the condition existed for a meaningful period
• cleaning logs and inspection schedules that were skipped or inconsistent
• recurring hazards like repeated leaks, ice that forms in the same spot, or repeated debris in a corridor

This is how we establish liability against the correct defendant. In many cases, the "owner" is not the only target. The responsible party may include a commercial tenant, management company, cleaning contractor, snow contractor, or maintenance vendor.

How Fast Evidence Disappears After a Long Island Fall Accident

The "real deadline" in many cases is not the statute of limitations. It is evidence retention.

• Surveillance footage: many systems overwrite on a rotating schedule.
• Maintenance and cleaning logs: may be rotated, edited, or discarded.
• Snow and ice records: contractor records and service confirmations can be difficult to obtain without a quick preservation demand.
• Weather information: especially for winter cases, certified weather proof can be critical. We gather data through certified sources like NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
• Repairs after the fall: can erase the defect that caused the accident.

Call (212) 268-3222 today to discuss how we can help protect time-sensitive proof.

What the Insurance Company Will Argue & How We Respond

"We did not know about the hazard."

We build the notice record: video timelines, logs, prior complaints, prior incidents, and repair history.

"It was open and obvious."

We show why it was still dangerous, including lighting, line-of-sight limits, crowding, lack of warnings, and the property's duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions.

"You were distracted or wore the wrong footwear."

New York uses comparative fault under CPLR § 1411. Insurers push to shift blame so damages are reduced. We counter with hazard proof, notice evidence, and safety failures.

"Storm in progress."

We prove timing and opportunity to remediate with weather records and maintenance history. CDC-authored research analyzing seasonal patterns of older adult falls found winter outdoor falls were more likely to be weather-related and largely attributed to ice and snow in that dataset. (Learn more: Seasonal variation in fall-related emergency department visits).

"You did not treat right away."

We document the timeline, symptoms, and objective findings. Gaps can harm credibility, but they can often be explained and addressed with consistent medical documentation.

"This was a pre-existing condition."

Pre-existing conditions do not automatically bar recovery. The key is documenting what changed after you sustained injuries in the accident, including new limitations, new imaging findings, and new treatment needs.

We Handle All Types of Slip and Fall Cases Across Nassau and Suffolk County

Different locations on Long Island, from a grocery store in Garden City to an icy apartment walkway in Huntington or an uneven sidewalk in Patchogue, create different liability questions and different evidence requirements.

We tailor each investigation to the property, the hazard, and the negligent party involved, so we can preserve proof fast, establish who is responsible. We aim to provide the highest quality legal representation and pursue compensation based on the full impact of your injuries.

Wet floors and spill accidents in stores and restaurants

We look at inspection routines, warning signage, cleaning logs, and video timelines near entrances, beverage areas, and refrigerated sections.

Ice and snow accidents on sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots

We examine storm timing, snow removal contracts, salting and shoveling records, and recurring ice patterns, and obtain certified weather evidence that support settlement negotiations.

Uneven sidewalks, raised slabs, and utility cover trip hazards

These cases require careful identification of the proper defendant. Sidewalk responsibility can depend on control, "special use," and whether a public entity is involved.

Stairway and elevator falls in buildings

We review lighting, handrails, tread conditions, carpeting, repair history, and whether the condition was recurring.

Residential and apartment building falls

Common hazards include hallway leaks, loose flooring, debris in common areas, and poor lighting. Prior complaints often prove notice.

Commercial property and parking lot falls

Drainage, curbs, ramps, and uneven pavement frequently create hazards. Liability can involve owner, tenant, management, and contractors.

Falls at work

A workplace fall may involve a workers compensation claim and, in some cases, a separate third-party claim if another entity controlled the hazard. This is distinct from Long Island construction site accidents, which may involve additional protections under New York Labor Law §§ 240 and 241. We evaluate both paths so the correct claim structure is used.

FAQs: Understanding Slip & Fall Claims on Long Island

What Happens After You Call Our Law Office

1. We get the facts

Where the accident occurred, what caused it, what proof exists, and what medical treatment you have received.

2. We evaluate liability and damages

We identify the proper defendant and coverage layers, then evaluate deadlines, notice proof, and damages documentation.

3. We take over the insurance claim process

We handle communications, document requests, and negotiations so you can focus on recovery.

Call (212) 268-3222 for a free consultation.

Related Long Island Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Many clients come to us for more than slip and fall injuries. Our personal injury attorneys also handle Long Island personal injury matters such as:

• Long Island Premises Liability Lawyer — Property owner negligence claims including negligent security, defective elevators, and building code violations.
• Long Island Construction Accident Lawyer — Falls on construction sites, including scaffold collapses and falls from heights protected by New York Labor Law.
• Long Island Car Accident Lawyer — Motor vehicle accident injuries, including car accident claims and coverage issues such as uninsured motorist coverage.
• Long Island Brain Injury Lawyer — Concussions and traumatic brain injuries caused by falls, one of the leading causes of TBI in older adults.
• Long Island Pedestrian Accident Lawyer — Injuries to pedestrians caused by sidewalk defects, curb hazards, and unsafe crosswalk conditions.
• Long Island Wrongful Death Lawyer — Fatal injuries resulting from falls, including wrongful death cases where medical malpractice may also be involved, which require different standards and timelines under CPLR § 214-a.

For a full overview of our Long Island practice areas, visit our Long Island Personal Injury Lawyer hub page.

Talk to a Long Island Slip and Fall Lawyer Today

If you were hurt because of someone else's negligence, you deserve clear answers and a plan. Our legal team helps injury victims across Nassau and Suffolk protect evidence, meet deadlines, and pursue compensation.

Howard Raphaelson and Andrew Levine have tried and settled slip and fall cases across New York for decades. Whether you slipped on a wet supermarket floor, fell on an icy sidewalk, or tripped over a cracked walkway on Long Island, we are ready to review your case and tell you plainly whether we can help.

We handle serious personal injury cases and premises liability claims throughout Hempstead, Oyster Bay, North Hempstead, Garden City, Mineola, Great Neck, Levittown, Hicksville, Massapequa, Freeport, Long Beach, Huntington, Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Smithtown, Riverhead, Patchogue, Bay Shore, Commack, Ronkonkoma, and Hauppauge.

If we take your case, you pay nothing upfront and no attorney's fee unless we recover for you.

Call (212) 268-3222 today for a free initial consultation.