$1.575 Million Premises Liability Settlement in Queens

Raphaelson & Levine secured a $1.575 million settlement for a Queens resident who was injured after falling on a defective stairway inside a building with known structural hazards.

A Defective Stairway in Queens

Stairways are among the most heavily trafficked areas in any building — and when they have structural defects, the consequences can be severe. Our client was using a stairway in a Queens building when a defect in the structure caused them to trip and fall. The injuries sustained in the fall required medical treatment and kept them from their normal routine for an extended period.

The building's owner had been aware of the stairway's deteriorating condition but took no action to repair the hazard or warn anyone who might use it.

Building a Case Against a Queens Property Owner

The defense argued that our client bore responsibility for the fall, claiming the stairway defect was open and obvious. Our Queens slip and fall attorneys pushed back by obtaining the building's Department of Buildings inspection records, prior tenant complaints, and maintenance logs — all of which showed the property owner had known about the defective stairway and done nothing.

Expert testimony from a building safety consultant confirmed that the stairway violated applicable building code standards and posed a foreseeable risk of serious injury.

$1.575 Million Recovery for a Queens Fall Victim

The mediation resulted in a $1.575 million settlement — providing our client with full compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and the pain and suffering caused by a defective stairway that should have been repaired long ago.

"Property owners cannot hide behind the 'open and obvious' defense when the evidence shows they knew about a dangerous condition and chose to ignore it. Our client deserved a safe building — and compensation for the injuries caused by neglect."

— Jason Krakower, Attorney at Raphaelson & Levine

If you've been hurt in a slip and fall or trip and fall accident in Queens or anywhere in New York, our premises liability attorneys have decades of experience proving property owner negligence, and are ready to review your claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.