It snows a lot in New York city when the temperature drops, and although the snow creates beautiful, picturesque scenes in some areas, it can also pose a serious danger to pedestrians. Since the snow that has accumulated on the roads increases the risk of slip and fall accidents for pedestrians, it becomes a matter of public safety to clear ice from sidewalks to prevent nasty incidents.
Property owners in NYC are legally obligated to keep public walkways surrounding their premises clear of ice and snow. Furthermore, NYC requires property managers, homeowners, and business owners to remove snow, ice, and other hazards from their property within a reasonable and timely manner.
If they fail to remove the dangerous condition from their properties and someone has an accident and gets injured, the property owner may be held responsible for the accident and the injuries the victim sustained. If you slipped and sustained an icy sidewalk injury in New York City due to someone else’s negligence, you should contact an attorney to see how you can pursue compensation for the damages.
What the law requires from property owners
Property owners, business owners, and homeowners are required by law to remove ice and snow from public walkways surrounding their premises, so they don’t block the walkways or cause slipping hazards. Moreover, if the ice is too intractable to be removed right away without damaging the pavement, the property owners must spread sand, salt, or sawdust on it.
In addition, if there is a bus stop or fire hydrant in front of the property, the manager or owner is legally required to clear ice and snow from those surrounding areas. Furthermore, they must also remove the snow covering access to their buildings, driveways, and parking lots. Moreover, they should not transfer any of the cleared snow or ice onto a city street.
Apart from maintaining the exterior of their premises, the owners also have a duty to keep the floors inside their premises dry. Therefore, they must ensure the floors are frequently mopped to remove the ice and snow brought in by visitors. In addition, they should also put up signage such as “wet floor” to warn their customers, visitors, and employees about the dangerous condition.
How long do property managers and owners have to clear the snow?
According to the NYC administrative code, if the snow stops falling between 7 am and 5 pm, the manager has only 4 hours to clear the ice. However, if the snow stops falling between 5 pm and 9 pm, then the manager has 14 hours to clear the ice.
Furthermore, if the snow ceases to fall anytime between 9 pm and 7 am, then the property owner has until 11 am to remove it. If the property owners fail to adhere to this law, they may either be imprisoned or fined.
Conclusion
Thus, if you slipped, fell on the snow, and got injured because a property manager violated this law, then you can file a premises liability claim and seek compensation. If you want to pursue compensation, you should contact a personal injury lawyer and explore the legal options that are available to you.