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New York City Municipal Liability Lawyer

From accidents involving city vehicles to those involving City owned or maintained property, the City’s negligence can lead to severe injuries, even death. If you suffered injuries due to a city vehicle, a raised sidewalk, or due to other negligent acts of a public utility service, you may be able to recover compensation for your losses by filing a claim against the government agency responsible.

At Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C., our attorneys represent New York City residents who have suffered injuries due to municipal negligence. Our attorneys have the litigation skills necessary to fight for your damages.

Why You Should Choose Us

The attorneys at Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C., have in-depth knowledge of municipal liability law and the various personal injury practice areas your injuries fall into. We have represented clients who suffered serious injuries ranging from fractures requiring surgery to head, neck, and spine injuries that result in permanent disability.

Clients choose our attorneys for our established history of successful settlements and wide breadth of personal injury law proficiency.

  • We are a full-service firm and represent clients for numerous types of cases, including bus and subway accidents, defective sidewalks, and unsafe roadways.
  • We have won over $2 billion in settlements for our clients over the last 10 years.
  • We are committed to the well-being of New York City and our local community, serving as the general counsel for the Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York.

Common Types of Municipal Liability Cases

Municipal liability cases happen when public works, government vehicles, or unsafe city conditions on certain sidewalks or on city owned property injure a person. You have grounds to file a municipal liability lawsuit if the local agency acted negligently, leading to your injuries.

Many examples of municipal negligence exist.

  • Faulty traffic lights, highway maintenance failures, and faulty roadway design can be caused by municipal negligence.
  • Snow, ice, and water hazards that are left on city owned or operated premises for unreasonable periods of time can also be municipal negligence.
  • Cracked, broken and protruding sidewalks that pose trip hazards are dangerous defects that may be the responsibility of the municipality to correct. In particular, if they have prior written notice of the condition.
  • Public bus accidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers can be due to municipal negligence. Accidents can be due to poorly trained or negligent drivers or poorly maintained roads or signage.
  • Accidents on negligently maintained subway or railroad platforms can be due to municipal negligence.
  • Moreover, deaths and injuries sustained due to the improper operation of these trains also can serve as actionable cases.

Municipal Liability Cases in New York City

To file a lawsuit against a New York City public agency, your attorney must prove that the government agency was negligent.

Before filing a lawsuit, you must file a notice of claim to the responsible agency within 90 days of the accident. Identifying the appropriate agency can be complicated and if done incorrectly can be fatal to your case.  This notice must include:

  • Your personal information;
  • Your attorney’s information;
  • A description of the accident and where it specifically took place so that it can be easily identified;
  • A description of your injuries;
  • A list of damages you are seeking.

Hiring a municipal liability attorney from Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C., will ensure that you meet all necessary deadlines, identify the appropriate parties, put on notice of the claim and ensure that the notice of claim contains adequate, detailed information.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Damages include both economic and non-economic damages.

For instance, a plaintiff can recover for one’s past lost earnings from the date of the accident to the date of the verdict.  He or she can also recover for the future lost earnings that he/she will expect to suffer thereafter.

Damages could also include both past and future medical expenses, including medication, doctor’s visits, hospitalization, and physical therapy.

Indeed, a plaintiff can also recover one’s pain and suffering that results from the accident.  This includes both the injury and resulting treatment and also the consequences on one’s life.  At trial, we ask a jury to consider both the past pain and suffering that our client suffered and the future pain and suffering that he/she will have to endure.

Contact Our Lawyers Today

Due to the complexity and short timeframe of municipal liability cases, it is important that you contact a personal injury attorney. Our attorneys have the litigation knowledge you desire for your personal injury case.

Contact Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C., today for a free consultation. Prefer to speak to a New York City personal injury attorney directly? Call our Manhattan office at (212) 732-9000.