A slip and fall or trip and fall accident can happen in all types of workplaces. Whether it be from office buildings or a construction site; debris, misplaced equipment, and uneven flooring can all cause trip and fall accidents. If you make sure to take the appropriate steps following your trip and fall accident, you can increase your legal protection and help prevent yourself from missing out on compensation for your injuries.
When you do fall at work, you might think to brush it off and immediately return to your job responsibilities. After all, you have work to do, and you don’t want to get in trouble for seeming lazy or falling behind on your job duties. If you tripped and fell at work, however, making sure to take the right steps can help increase the odds that you will receive compensation for the full cost of your injuries.
Any time you suffer workplace injuries, even if you think they are minor, you need to seek medical attention. Many companies have policies that require injured employees to immediately seek medical attention. Immediate evaluation of your injuries can protect both you and your company. If you suffered serious injuries, you may require ambulance transport immediately to the emergency room. Minor injuries may result in a trip to urgent care at the end of your business day. When you do seek medical attention, keep track of any documentation of your injuries, which may include:
It’s also super important to record any and all information that gives insight into the cause of your injury. Many things can contribute to trip and fall accidents, ranging from things that your employer should have taken care of to circumstances that no one could have controlled. If you know the cause of your fall, document it. Use your camera phone to snap a quick picture. Take plenty of pictures and even a video of the scene of the accident. If there were any witnesses, get their information as they can confirm what caused the accident to occur. Take an up-close shot of whatever caused you to trip and fall, then take a wider-angle shot of the area as a whole. Your picture of the wider area can help prove a lack of signs or other warnings about potential hazards in the area.
Your next step should be to report your accident to your superior as soon as possible. Many companies have protocols when injuries occur; it is important that you follow them. In some restaurants, for example, even minor burns may require medical attention and a report. Avoid implicating yourself in your trip and fall or accepting fault. Try to avoid making statements like “I’m fine” or “I’m not hurt,” especially if you have not yet seen a medical professional.
Any time you suffer life-changing injuries in a trip and fall accident at work, you should consider contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you decide how best to proceed. A lawyer can help you navigate the difficult world of workers’ compensation and provide vital information about protecting your rights throughout your recovery. Not only that, working with a lawyer can help prevent you from making critical errors that may decrease the settlement or compensation that you receive.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
Car accidents can vary widely in terms of their severity. A fender bender at low speed might not leave a scratch, but a collision with a truck can completely total a car. While some collisions can leave both vehicles damaged beyond repair, others can cause only minor damage that has no impact on a car’s safety or drivability.
Sometimes a car doesn’t have much external physical damage, but still resulted in one or more of the passengers getting injured. So when is an accident considered “minor” and why is this important? The Amount of Damage Determines Your Reporting Obligations
In New York, the extent of the damage caused by an accident can impact your obligation to report the accident to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Under New York law, a driver must report an accident to the DMV if the accident results in serious injury, death, and/or more than $1,000 in damage to any vehicle.
Less than $1,000 in damage can generally be considered “minor,” though there is not a precise definition of “minor” vehicle damage under New York law. But how do you know if the damage to your vehicle will cost more than $1,000 to repair? While you can get an estimate for your vehicle promptly, you won’t necessarily know what repair bills the other driver will incur. Repairs can be surprisingly expensive, and even seemingly minor damage can easily require thousands of dollars worth of repairs.
Additionally, even if a vehicle appears to have suffered only minor exterior damage, there could be internal damage that requires extensive – and expensive – repairs. For example, in a front-end collision, the car’s radiator and various other components behind the front bumper may need to be replaced even if the visible damage is minimal.
In addition to reporting the accident to the DMV, there are further options a person can pursue if they have been injured as a result of the accident. While no-fault insurance will cover some medical bills and lost wages following an accident, a person might pursue a personal injury claim to try and receive further compensation. This is only the case though if New York deems the injury as “serious”.
While any injury from an accident can be devastating, New York has a statute called the “Serious Injury” Threshold that determines whether or not a person is able to file a personal injury claim. Here is what the State of New York considers to be a serious injury:
When you read these categories, especially the last few, it might not seem so straightforward. This is one of those areas where it is best to consult with an experienced attorney to see if your injuries can be compensated in the state of New York. Most personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation, so it wouldn’t hurt to give them a call and see if you can get help for your injuries.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
Hit-and-runs are one of the most frustrating kinds of motor vehicle accidents. Typically, regardless of the circumstances of an accident ranging from mild to severe, all parties involved will find a place to pull over and handle the matter. Information is explained and a police report can be made. This not only opens the line of communication for vehicle damages to be covered, but makes it possible for anyone who is injured to get the medical treatment needed.
In a hit-and-run accident, you are abandoned, and left to figure everything out on your own. After a hit-and-run accident, injured victims and their families often face an uphill battle trying to recover damages that cover the extent of their losses. While these situations are more complex than a typical car accident, it is possible to receive compensation for those injuries.
Hit-and-run accidents occur when a driver leaves the scene of an accident without providing any identifying information and rendering reasonable assistance to victims of the accident. Even if the accident does not appear to cause injuries, drivers must still stop and, at minimum, exchange insurance information. The failure to stop and provide information and assistance can leave individuals not at fault in a really difficult position. Even short delays in medical treatment can have lifelong impacts on accident victims.
There are many reasons a person may flee the scene of an accident. A driver may not know they hit an individual, but this is unlikely. The large majority of the time this is an intentional action. More common is that the driver is either impaired, uninsured, unlicensed, has a warrant out, or is engaged in illegal behavior. However, panic and other similar reasons are not enough to avoid liability for the accident and subsequent fleeing.
One thing you should not do is try and chase the driver who hit you. If you chase the driver who hit you, you are putting yourself in an even more dangerous situation. First thing you should do is Call 911. Any time you are in an accident it is essential to call the police. But this is especially important for a hit and run so that a police report can be made and will benefit you should you need to make a claim with your insurance company. You should also tell the police to call an ambulance if you are feeling any pain so you can get medical treatment as soon as possible.
Once the authorities are contacted, you’ll want to record any information possible. Any kind of details are helpful, but if possible it would be especially helpful if you remember some or all of the license plate number. Additionally, write down the model, make and color of the vehicle. If you are able, record the damages on your car. It is very important to get good pictures from multiple angles. Sometimes the color of the car that hit you can be seen on dents and scratches of your car, make sure that is seen clearly.
Finally, see if there are witnesses in the area. The more information the better and witnesses can back up your story. They may even notice a detail that you weren’t able to notice. Make sure that witness information is recorded in the police report. If you were involved in a hit and run in a parking lot, investigate to see if there were any security cameras that may have recorded the incident.
After you have recorded the information and gotten the initial medical treatment you needed, you should then contact your insurance company and file a claim. If you have collision coverage you should get reimbursed, but these types of accidents can often be complicated. This is why you need an experienced lawyer to help you. An attorney experienced in hit-and-run accidents has the insight to use the details surrounding your accident to gain the full compensation needed as a result of the accident.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
Construction workers sometimes face dangers on a daily basis. Even though there are many safety protocols construction sites have to adhere to, there are still hazards that can present themself. Oftentimes if someone does get injured at a construction site, it is because someone was negligent in following the expected standards of safety.
New York Labor Laws impose a wide variety of safety restrictions on owners and general contractors of construction sites. It is for this reason that most construction accidents are avoidable and are usually due to the failure of owners and general contractors to follow the required laws. If you’ve been injured on a construction site, you might not be sure whether the situation you were in that caused the injury is something you can gain compensation for through a lawsuit. So here are the most common causes of construction site accidents, and why you may be eligible to pursue compensation.
Any type of construction with cranes is already a dangerous scenario. Cranes are needed for very large buildings and large construction sites. Any small mistakes could have major consequences given the sheer scale of everything involved; especially if the job deals with demolition.
Much like cutting down trees, construction demolition requires careful forethought to avoid injuries. Large amounts of debris can fall and can seriously injure, or even kill someone if the crane operator isn’t super careful. If the crane arm knocks walls or other structures down into an uncontrolled fall, any person in the path of the debris could suffer as a result.
Any construction projects that involve walking around on unfinished floors and structures several floors above ground are probably the most common source of construction injuries. Any time safety regulations aren’t followed, or people are rushed there’s a chance for a serious fall.
Without proper care, sometimes the scaffolding can give out or collapse while a construction worker is still on it, causing them to fall great distances. Unfortunately, the outcome of those falls is often grievous injury or even death.
This category is pretty all-encompassing, because there are so many different ways that construction workers can get injured, and most of the time it’s because safety precautions were not followed.
This can be cases where the crews were not wearing proper gear, such as hard hats, or were being asked to work in conditions that typical safety guidelines prohibit.
It can also mean the lack of proper signage around the construction site, poor coordination of different work being done that creates safety issues, and other similar situations.
Generally, if you are working as part of the construction crew on a job site you’ve signed employment waivers that mean you cannot sue your employer when injured. This is where Workers’ Compensation comes in as an immediate recourse to get you the help and financial assistance needed.
However, when there is true construction negligence at play there are circumstances when you can sue a third party other than your employer in addition to seeking Workers Comp insurance. The third party is usually the property owner, who is responsible even if your employer can’t be. In other cases, the responsible party could even be the city of New York itself. Sometimes faulty equipment can play a role, leaving the manufacturer liable.
Even though the employer can’t be sued, these other factors play a role in opening up an opportunity for someone who was seriously injured to gain all of the financial compensation they deserve as a result of their injury. Therefore, it is worth calling an experienced personal injury attorney to see if you have a case for your construction site accident.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents, and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.
As the summer approaches, most if not all Long Islanders who own a pool have started the process of opening their pools. Fortunately, the situation this summer is a little more optimistic than last year. With the covid-19 vaccine proving to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus including mutating variants, the infection rate in New York is at an all-time low, and continues to stay on a downward slope. It is not surprising then, that many Long Islanders are excited to return to a sense of normalcy this summer. With the school year almost ending, and temperatures rising, it’s worth discussing once again the need for parents to ensure the safety of their children when opening their swimming pools.
It’s important to remember that although things are looking up with the pandemic, it is not over yet. Additionally, at the time this was written, children under 12 years of age are not eligible to take the covid-19 vaccine yet. This means that they still are able to get sick from the virus, and spread it to others. This is important to note if you are inviting children from other households, or having a pool party.
Even if you are having adults or kids old enough to have the vaccine, it is important to communicate with them what precautions, if any, are being taken. Each household has the right to decide the safety standards for their family, and some have chosen not to take the vaccine and as a result, are more susceptible to getting the virus. In these instances, communication is key to ensure everyone is comfortable with the situation.
Currently, the CDC’s understanding of the virus remains the same as last summer, where being outdoors, and in a swimming pool on its own presents a lower risk of spreading the virus. This risk is further reduced to almost no risk if individuals in the swimming pool are vaccinated. Recommendations for safe pool environments can be found on their website.
The most important thing to remember about pools is to know who is in your pool. Never leave children or novice swimmers unattended. Accidental drowning can happen in a matter of seconds. So, never take your eyes off your children when they’re in the pool, and know the swimming skill level of everyone going into your pool.
Teach your children how to swim. The best way to avoid accidental drowning is to be proactive and teach your children how to swim. Even if you don’t have a pool, it’s a good idea to teach your children how to swim. There are pools everywhere, there is a high chance that your children will come in contact with a pool at some point. The best time to learn how to swim is at an early age. Children are inherently good swimmers and pick it up very quickly at a young age. Also, there are many programs that offer inexpensive lessons to children.
Install fences and barriers around your pool. This is not only a good idea, but it is also usually a requirement in most towns. Pools should always be isolated from the rest of your yard to avoid children accidentally falling into the pool. All gates should be self-closing and there should be no gaps or openings in the fencing.
Never swim alone. Even if you are an experienced swimmer, it is a good idea to swim with another person. Medical emergencies happen unexpectedly and can strike anyone. If you are swimming alone and suddenly experience a medical emergency, you could accidentally drown.
Additionally, avoid diving headfirst. Diving headfirst can be dangerous, especially if the pool is shallow. It is not safe to dive headfirst into a pool that is not at least eight feet deep.
It is also extremely important to never swim under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs can seriously impact your coordination and judgment. This can lead to serious issues when swimming.
Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Rescue measures can help avoid serious injury and could even be the difference between life and death. If you own a pool or have young children, it’s a really good idea to learn CPR. It takes just a few hours and classes are offered at several places, including the Red Cross.
Keeping these safety tips in mind during summer can help ensure that you have a great summer and avoid unnecessary tragedies.
Pool chemicals, like chlorine, are needed to protect swimmers’ health. However, mishandling pool chemicals can cause serious injuries. Pool chemical injuries lead to about 4,500 U.S. hospital visits each year, and over one-third of these preventable injuries are in children or teens. There’s an abundance of tests you can use to make sure your chemicals are safe. Even if you hire someone else to do the chemicals in your pool, it is still good to double-check the chemical levels yourself so you know it is safe for your children. The ranges of chlorine (or bromine if you use that instead) should be:
1–10 parts per million (ppm) free chlorine or 3–8 ppm bromine
pH 7.2–7.8
If the pH is too high or too low, it can cause problems, including decreasing chlorine’s or bromine’s ability to kill germs. It can also cause skin and eye irritation in swimmers and damage pool pipes and other equipment. Additionally, chemicals should be stored somewhere that kids cannot reach.
Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.
His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.