Stairs are a daily part of life in New York City, whether in subway stations, apartment buildings, office towers, or shopping centers. While stairs may seem routine, they can quickly become dangerous when not properly maintained. A slip and fall accident on stairs often leads to serious injuries, and victims are left wondering who is responsible for their medical bills, lost income, and long-term recovery costs.

In New York, property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition, which includes stairways. However, determining liability for a stair-related slip and fall accident is not always straightforward. It depends on factors such as whether the property owner was aware of the hazard, whether adequate maintenance was performed, and whether the injured person exercised reasonable care.

Understanding how liability is determined in these situations can help injured individuals protect their rights and pursue compensation.

Why Stairs Are Dangerous

Stairs pose an inherent risk because they require balance, coordination, and proper visibility to navigate safely. When combined with environmental hazards, the likelihood of a serious accident increases dramatically.

Common stair hazards in New York properties include:

Broken or uneven steps
Loose or missing handrails
Poor lighting in stairwells
Slippery surfaces from water, snow, or ice tracked inside
Worn-out carpeting or tile that creates tripping hazards

The New York City Building Code sets strict requirements for stair construction and maintenance, including minimum tread depth, riser height, and the presence of secure handrails. When property owners fail to comply, they expose visitors to significant risk.

Common Injuries from Stair-Related Accidents

Falls on stairs tend to cause more severe injuries than falls on flat surfaces due to the added height and impact of tumbling downward. Victims often suffer:

Traumatic brain injuries from striking the head
Spinal cord injuries or fractured vertebrae
Broken wrists, arms, or ankles from trying to break the fall
Hip fractures, particularly in older adults
Severe cuts, bruises, and lacerations

These injuries often require emergency medical treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and long-term care. In addition to physical suffering, victims may be unable to return to work for weeks or months, creating financial hardship.

Determining Fault in Stair-Related Slip and Fall Accidents

When a slip and fall occurs on stairs, the key legal issue is liability. In New York, property owners, landlords, business operators, and even government entities may be held responsible if their negligence has caused an unsafe condition.

Seitelman Law Offices has represented New Yorkers injured in these complex situations, where fault may lie with:

A landlord who ignored tenant complaints about broken steps
A store that failed to clean water tracked in from outside
A property manager who neglected lighting repairs in stairwells
A building owner who failed to install proper handrails

In these cases, the question is not only whether a hazard existed, but whether the responsible party knew or should have known about it, and whether they had a reasonable opportunity to correct it.

What to Do After Falling Down Stairs

If you suffer a fall on stairs, your actions immediately afterward can affect both your health and your potential legal claim. Steps to take include:

Seek medical attention right away – Even if injuries are not immediately visible, conditions like concussions or internal injuries can worsen quickly.
Report the accident – Notify the property owner, landlord, or manager and request a written incident report.
Document the scene – Take photographs of the stairs, lighting, handrails, or any hazards present.
Collect witness information – Eyewitness accounts can help confirm what happened.
Preserve footwear and clothing – These may be used as evidence in determining liability.

Acting quickly helps establish a record of the incident and supports your right to compensation.

Compensation for Stair-Related Slip and Fall Injuries

Victims of stair-related slip and fall accidents in New York may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. These may include:

Medical bills and future treatment costs
Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life

The amount of compensation depends on the severity of the injury, the impact on the victim’s daily life, and the degree of negligence by the property owner.

How to Prove Negligence in a Slip and Fall Case

To succeed in a stair-related slip and fall case, the injured person must prove negligence. In New York, this generally requires showing:

A dangerous condition existed on the property.
The property owner was aware of or should have been aware of the condition.
The owner failed to take reasonable steps to rectify the issue.
The dangerous condition directly caused the injury.

Evidence may include photographs, maintenance records, building code violations, and testimony from witnesses or building inspectors. The New York State Unified Court System provides guidance on premises liability cases, which can be accessed through the NY Courts website.

Filing a Lawsuit if You Were Partially at Fault

New York follows the rule of “pure comparative negligence.” This means that even if you were partly responsible for your fall (for example, if you were distracted by your phone), you can still recover compensation. However, your damages award will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

For instance, if you were found 20% at fault and your damages totaled $100,000, you could still recover $80,000. This law ensures that victims are not barred from recovery simply because they made a mistake.

Slip and Fall Accidents That Happen at Work

Stair-related accidents also occur in workplaces, including office buildings, restaurants, and construction sites. In such cases, injured employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits cover medical care and a portion of lost wages but do not provide compensation for pain and suffering.

However, if a third party (such as a building owner or maintenance company) was negligent, the worker may also pursue a personal injury claim in addition to workers’ compensation.

What to Do if the Property Owner Claims They Didn’t Know About the Hazard

Property owners often defend themselves by arguing they had no knowledge of the dangerous condition. However, New York law recognizes the concept of “constructive notice.” This means that if the hazard existed for a sufficient amount of time, the property owner should have discovered and fixed it.

For example, a broken step that remained unrepaired for weeks or a stairwell light bulb that was burned out for days could establish constructive notice. Courts consider how long the hazard was present and whether regular inspections would have revealed it.

Contact Mark E. Seitelman Law Offices for Help

Slip and fall accidents on stairs can be life-altering, leaving victims with steep medical bills and long-term challenges. Determining responsibility requires careful investigation and knowledge of New York’s premises liability laws.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a stair-related fall, Mark E. Seitelman Law Offices can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. With decades of experience representing New Yorkers in personal injury claims, our firm understands the complexities of stair accident cases and will work to protect your rights.