Leav & Steinberg LLP is pleased to report that our firm has successfully secured a $1.5 million settlement for a client who suffered serious injuries after slipping on a wet platform within the New York City Transit System. Our client, a 60-year-old woman at the time of the incident, was stepping off a northbound 6-train when she slipped on a freshly mopped platform. Sadly, despite the NYCTA workers actively mopping the platform, no employees warned those exiting the train that this dangerous condition existed.
Her injuries were severe and disrupted her quickly developing career as an opera singer, for which she had been gaining worldwide renown. Specifically, she sustained a closed head injury with residual limitations in concentration, recall, and other post-concussion mild traumatic brain injury symptoms.
This case highlights the importance of diligent legal representation and the responsibility of public entities like the NY Transit Authority to ensure the safety of public facilities.
Leav & Steinberg’s premises liability attorneys specialize in slip-and-fall cases. If you or a loved one has been injured in New York City, contact us for a free consultation to learn how you can recover.
Case Background – Documenting the Incident
This incident originally occurred around 2:45 am in December 2014 as our client disembarked a northbound 6-train at the 96th Street stop. Once the train doors opened, our client stepped off the train and slipped due to the platform’s wet condition after being mopped — with no warning given to any strangers exiting the train.
Our client aggressively fell and hit her head on the wall adjoining the platform (near the cone in Figure 1). The fall resulted immediately in a concussion, and medical evaluations confirmed she had sustained a closed head injury with post-concussion syndrome.
Aside from prohibiting our client’s ongoing work as a singer and part-time airline attendant, the fall resulted in pain for years to come and ultimately shattered her prospects as a globally acclaimed opera singer.
The client retained Leav & Steinberg in the summer of 2022 to take over the case from the law firm that had originally been retained in 2014. Despite the considerable amount of time that had passed since the accident, partner Dan Leav and support staff meticulously prepared the case for trial.
Through careful planning, coordination with our client, and a thorough understanding of New York State premises liability law (1), our firm argued that since the New York State Transit Authority neglected to maintain safe premises for straphangers and patrons of the train system, they should ultimately be financially responsible for our client’s injuries and resulting losses. This thorough preparation and strategic approach led to a favorable settlement for our client.
Furthermore, after being retained, our office realized that it would be helpful to show how the client was impacted and how her life changed from before the accident to after. We consulted with many people in her life and determined a few who would be credible witnesses to support the argument that she has been seriously impacted by this accident.
Contact Our NYC Premises Liability Lawyers
The $1.5 million settlement that our firm secured for this client will help her cover the physical, emotional, and professional losses caused by the injury — which still affect her to this day. We are glad to have achieved an amount exceeding several initial offers from the city and the client’s own expectations.
Our hope is that this settlement, and others like it, will prompt New York City authorities to make the public spaces we share safer for all.
This case serves as a reminder of the critical role that experienced legal representation plays in navigating complex personal injury claims, especially against public entities. If you or a loved one has been injured in New York’s public transit system, our team of attorneys is experienced in handling complex injury cases in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. Contact us for a free consultation with one of our NYC premises liability lawyers, and to learn about your potential to recover.
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