Like in all other states, property owners in New York must take care of their properties and avoid dangerous conditions that can cause injuries to patrons. When visitors suffer injuries or lose their lives, the property owners may have to face premises liability lawsuits. However, the plaintiffs will have the burden of proof of negligence — which could be a challenging task.
In October last year, a man who went to watch an NFL game in another state fell approximately 60 feet from the stairs of a fire escape at a stadium. Reportedly, the victim died from blunt force trauma to his torso, neck, skull and head. His surviving family members have now filed a wrongful death lawsuit in a civil court in which they named several entities as defendants.
Court documents indicate that the plaintiffs allege a breach of the duty of care by the defendants. The family accuses them of failing to take reasonable action to ensure the safety of people using the fire escape. It is reported that the stadium opened in 2001 and would have had to comply with building regulations and codes that were in place at that time.
Premises liability lawsuits are complicated cases to handle. Proving that the fire escape is dangerous could be challenging, especially considering that it had been used by hundreds of thousands of people with no incidents since the opening of the stadium. New York residents who want to pursue financial relief after suffering injuries on premises they deem dangerous may find the process less overwhelming if they seek the support and guidance of an experienced premises liability attorney.
Source: 9news.com, “Family of man who fell to his death at Mile High sues stadium district”, Krystyna Biassou, Marshall Zelinger, Oct. 26, 2017
