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Yes, New York has building codes to ensure that buildings are safely designed, built and maintained to protect the public health, safety and general welfare. The NYC Department of Buildings enforces the building code to ensure the lawful use of approximately a million buildings and properties in the city. The building codes require owners of property including shopping centers, hotels, high rise buildings, apartment buildings, sports arenas, restaurants and other buildings to meet minimum safety standards.

Building owners and building maintenance companies have a legal responsibility to comply with the building code and address recognized safety hazards and code violations.

Common types of code violations that contribute to slip-and-fall accidents include:

  • Lack of adequate handrails on stairs
  • Staircases with treads that do not comply with the building code
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Lack of required non-skid surfaces
  • Lack of proper elevator or escalator maintenance
  • Snow and ice that has not been cleared in a timely fashion

The building code specifies the amount of time allowed to correct a code violation. If the owner of a building or a company contracted to maintain a building fails to comply with applicable building codes and an individual sustains a serious slip-and-fall injury as a result, the liable party may be held legally liable for the injuries. The injured individual may bring a personal injury lawsuit against the property owner or business that failed to comply with the building code and demand compensation for injuries resulting from the code violation.

Not every code violation causes slip-and-fall accidents. But a building code violation may make it easier for the injured person to recover compensation through a slip-and-fall lawsuit.

A lawyer at David Resnick & Associates, P.C., can review the specific details of your slip-and-fall accident and determine whether you have a valid personal injury lawsuit. If we handle your slip-and-fall case, we will conduct an investigation to determine whether a building code violation contributed to your injury and gather evidence to support your injury claim.