$540,000 Sidewalk Fall Hip Fracture Settlement in Queens

A piece of the sidewalk was missing at 78-35 Springfield Boulevard in Oakland Gardens, Queens. Our client stepped into the gap and fell — fracturing her right hip so severely that she was in surgery within four days. A broken sidewalk. A broken hip. A property owner who left a known hazard in the path of every pedestrian who walked by.

Sidewalk Defect and Hip Fracture in Oakland Gardens, Queens

Our client was walking along the sidewalk at 78-35 Springfield Boulevard in Oakland Gardens when she encountered a section of concrete that was missing — a gap in the walking surface that created a sudden and dangerous change in elevation. Her foot caught the edge of the defect and she fell, striking the ground with enough force to fracture her right hip. A mechanic working at a shop across the street witnessed the fall and immediately crossed over to help lift her from the sidewalk — confirming that the fall was caused by the defective concrete, not a loss of balance or personal misstep.

The hip fracture was severe. Within four days of the fall, our client underwent surgery to repair the fractured bone and restore structural integrity to the hip joint. Hip fracture surgery in older adults is a major orthopedic procedure — it requires anesthesia, hardware placement, and a recovery period that fundamentally alters the patient's mobility, independence, and daily functioning. Our client also sustained injuries to her lower back from the fall, compounding the rehabilitation demands and extending the recovery timeline.

Missing Sidewalk Concrete — A Hazard Left Unrepaired

Property owners in New York are responsible for maintaining the sidewalk adjacent to their property in safe condition. When a section of concrete breaks, crumbles, or goes missing, it creates a trip-and-fall hazard for every pedestrian who uses that stretch of sidewalk. The missing concrete at 78-35 Springfield Boulevard was not a hairline crack or a minor surface irregularity — it was a gap large enough to catch a pedestrian's foot and cause a fall. The defect had been present long enough for the property owner to discover and repair it through reasonable inspection and maintenance.

Our attorneys documented the sidewalk defect through photographs, measurements, and the witness statement from the mechanic who observed the fall. The evidence established that the missing concrete was a dangerous condition the property owner was responsible for repairing — and that the failure to repair it directly caused our client's fall and the hip fracture that followed. The eyewitness testimony was particularly valuable: an independent bystander who saw the fall happen and could confirm that the sidewalk defect, not any other factor, caused it.

"A chunk of the sidewalk was gone. Our client stepped into the gap and went down — hard enough to fracture her hip. She was in surgery four days later. A mechanic across the street saw the whole thing — he ran over and helped her up. The property owner at 78-35 Springfield Boulevard let that sidewalk deteriorate until a piece of the concrete was missing, and our client paid for it with a broken hip, surgery, and a recovery that changed her ability to live independently." — Andrew Levine, Founding Partner

$540,000 Mediation Result for an Oakland Gardens Sidewalk Fall

This $540,000 mediation result covers hip fracture surgery, lower back treatment, post-operative rehabilitation, physical therapy, lost wages, and the permanent mobility limitations our client now manages. It holds the property owner accountable for a defective sidewalk that was missing a section of concrete — a hazard that should have been repaired before someone got hurt.

If you fractured a hip or suffered a serious injury in a sidewalk fall in Queens, our premises liability attorneys have experience with defective sidewalk claims and are ready to review your case.