A woman was injured in a temporary sidewalk accident in Manhattan late last month after she fell into a pit. The victim was walking along a stretch of sidewalk near Madison Square Garden on October 18th around 3PM when the walking surface failed and she fell about 5 feet into a hole.
Eyewitnesses who saw the sidewalk accident near one of New York’s most iconic structures say that crews doing work in the area had simply placed a piece of plywood over the hole as a temporary walking surface. The wood was nowhere near strong enough to support the woman and snapped in half, acting like what one witness called “a trap door.”
A man walking behind the woman immediately called 911. EMTS arrived within minutes and were able to extricate the woman from the pit. They took her to a nearby hospital to be treated. There is no indication of just how serious her injuries are.
Investigators were immediately called in to secure the site of this temporary sidewalk accident in Manhattan. They placed yet another piece of plywood over the hole but this time they cordoned off the area with hazard tape to keep pedestrians out of danger.
If an investigation reveals that the crew in charge of the work being done was negligent in their duty to safeguard pedestrians walking on the temporary sidewalk, the contractor in charge could be facing fines.
Regardless, the woman has a solid base for a personal injury case and could likely end up recovering for her pain and suffering, unpaid medical bills and lost time from work. Sidewalk accident victims have the right to recover compensation but often need the help of an experienced temporary sidewalk accident lawyer in New York City in order to obtain the compensation they deserve.
If you’ve fallen and sustained a serious injury, such as a fracture or tear of joint cartilage, tendon or ligament, or have otherwise been injured due to a sidewalk defect, call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 right now.