$576,000 Ice Fall Settlement in Queens

A shared sidewalk and driveway between two commercial properties on 101st Avenue in Queens — covered in ice that neither property owner cleared. Our client walked across it, slipped, and fractured her ankle. The fracture required surgery and months of recovery.

Ice Fall on a Queens Commercial Sidewalk

Our client was walking on the sidewalk abutting 80-06 and 80-16 101st Avenue in Queens when she slipped on ice and fell. The sidewalk in this location also functions as a driveway shared between two adjacent commercial properties — a dual-use surface that sees both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Ice had accumulated on the surface and neither property owner had cleared, salted, or treated the area. Our client's foot lost traction on the ice, and she fell with enough force to fracture her right ankle.

The ankle fracture was diagnosed at the emergency room and required surgical repair. Ankle fracture surgery involves hardware placement — plates, screws, or pins — to stabilize the broken bones and allow proper healing. The surgical recovery was followed by a period of non-weight-bearing immobilization, then a gradual return to weight-bearing activity through physical therapy. Ankle fractures that require surgical repair frequently result in permanent stiffness, reduced range of motion, and chronic discomfort that affects walking, standing, and balance.

Dual Property Owner Liability for a Shared Sidewalk

In New York City, property owners abutting a sidewalk are responsible for maintaining that sidewalk in a reasonably safe condition — including clearing snow and ice within a reasonable time after a weather event. When a sidewalk abuts two adjacent properties, both property owners share the responsibility. The dual-use nature of this particular surface — functioning as both a public sidewalk and a shared commercial driveway — amplified both owners' obligations, because vehicular traffic can compact snow into ice and create conditions that are more dangerous than untreated snowfall alone.

Our attorneys identified both property owners at 80-06 and 80-16 101st Avenue, investigated their snow and ice removal practices, and documented the condition of the sidewalk and driveway at the time of the fall. The evidence established that neither property owner had taken adequate steps to clear the ice — despite the dual-use nature of the surface and the heightened danger that ice poses on a surface used by both pedestrians and vehicles.

"Two commercial properties sharing one sidewalk and driveway. Neither owner cleared the ice. Our client walked across it on her way somewhere — the same surface hundreds of people use every day — and fractured her ankle badly enough to need surgery. When two property owners share responsibility for a walkway, the duty doesn't disappear because each one assumes the other will handle it. Both failed, and our client paid the price." — Joseph Taylor, Managing Attorney

$576,000 Settlement for a Queens Ice Fall Ankle Fracture

This $576,000 settlement covers ankle fracture surgery, hardware placement, post-surgical rehabilitation, physical therapy, lost wages, and the permanent ankle limitations our client now manages. It holds both property owners accountable for failing to clear ice from a shared commercial sidewalk and driveway in Queens.

If you slipped on ice on a sidewalk or commercial property in Queens, our premises liability attorneys have experience with multi-defendant ice fall claims and are ready to review your case.