Municipal and State Liability

Public Liability

Municipalities - States - Schools - Hospitals

Most municipalities and states limit the time allowed for filing a claim after an accident on public property. It is important to act quickly to preserve your right to seek compensation for injuries caused by an accident on land or buildings owned by a city, county, or state agency. Such claims can be complicated by overlapping jurisdictions. The biggest challenge may be to determine what organization is responsible for the place where the accident occurred.

Experienced in municipal and state liability

At Shandell, Blitz, Blitz & Ashley, we have been handling cases involving municipalities and the state of New York for more than 30 years. We understand state and municipal liability issues, and use that knowledge and our experience to mount effective claims for injured clients. Contact us to learn how we might help you. Schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

From broken sidewalks to police brutality

Our clients include people injured because of:

• Defective or dangerous public buildings and walkways
• Poor road design
• Malfunctioning traffic control devices such as stop lights
• Missing street signs
• Police misconduct such as imprisonment, assault and false arrest
• Employee negligence
• Faulty maintenance of facilities
• Malicious prosecution

Schools

We also handle cases involving schools, including matters such as lax supervision of children, poor maintenance, and defective playground equipment. Poor security and bad maintenance are serious enough in ordinary public buildings. When children are hurt because of negligence in schools, we put the district on notice by filing a claim.

Hospitals

The City of New York operates more than 20 hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. These agencies provide a wide range of essential medical services to New Yorkers. However, claims for injuries or death from medical malpractice and nursing home neglect must be pursued with a resolve equal to that used against a private agency. The standard of care in public hospitals is no less than in private hospitals. The only difference is the ownership.

Contact an attorney who knows about the liability of public agencies. We are glad to discuss any accident or injuries sustained on public land, buildings, schools, and hospitals, whether in New York City, Suffolk County, or further upstate.