Our Jones Beach Boardwalk Accident Lawyers Help Injured Beachgoers Collect Compensation
Jones Beach is one of the most popular places to visit on Long Island. Millions of locals and tourists come to enjoy its sprawling white sands, beautiful ocean views, and famous boardwalk throughout the year. Children and families also get to enjoy the many mini-parks and recreational facilities the park has to offer.
In 2018, over 8 million people visited Jones Beach State Park. Like every area where large amounts of people gather and mingle, there are risks to going to Jones Beach.
When you get injured in any type of accident at Jones Beach State Park, you have rights that might allow you to collect compensation for your injuries. Premises liability law allows victims of injuries to seek damages when the property owner, manager, another entity is negligent and causes injuries. Premises liability claims are often referred to as slip and fall or trip and fall cases.
Our Jones Beach boardwalk slip and fall lawyers have experience handling claims resulting from injuries and accidents at Jones Beach State Park. Did you trip and fall on a loose board on the boardwalk? Wipeout on a spilled slushie at the concession stand? Call the Law Office of Irene H. Gabo, P.C. and tell us about your accident and injuries. We can determine if you are entitled to compensation.
Why Do People Visit Jones Beach State Park?
Jones Beach State Park is a mile-long stretch of land owned and managed by the state of New York. Within Jones Beach State Park are various commercial areas spread along the beachfront, including some residential areas and smaller recreational parks.
Jones Beach offers various activities for visitors, including swimming at the beach. It is typical to see people surfing, picnicking, flying kites, fishing, jogging on the boardwalk, riding bicycles, hitting up the concession stands, and more. There is also a 14,500-seat bayside amphitheater that attracts people to concerts.
With all of these activities, it is not hard to imagine someone getting hurt. Accidents happen all the time. If they occur because of negligence, however, legal liability might result. Before looking at who might be liable, let’s look what premises liability is and some scenarios where the injured party might be entitled to compensation.
What is Premises Liability?
Premises liability dictates that when a person enters another person’s property, they are entitled to be reasonably safe. When the person or entity in control of the property fails to maintain a reasonable standard of care and an accident and injury result, the injured party may be entitled to damages.
Essentially, if you get injured on someone else’s property, premises liability law mandates the presence of three crucial requisites if you want to support a claim:
- You must have the legal or lawful right to be on the property and not be a trespasser. If you are a trespasser, then the owner must know about it and do nothing about it
- The property had unsafe areas or conditions that created risks for accidents because the property owner was negligent. For example, the owner may have ignored the risks, failed to warn about them, did not fix them properly or try at all
- The property owner’s negligence was the direct cause of the injury sustained.
How Can People Get Injured At Jones Beach?
In the context of Jones Beach accidents, consider the following situations in which an injured victim might have a premises liability claim against the State of New York or another entity:
- A visitor to the park fell through a weak plank on the boardwalk, breaking his leg. There was no warning posted or cone indicating it was an area of danger.
- A little girl slipped and fell at the concession stand on some ketchup that was on the floor. One of the workers saw it but decided to leave it there because she was doing something else. She did not put up a “wet floor” or another cautionary sign.
- Someone was the victim of a sexual assault while walking on the boardwalk.
- A child was leaning on the boardwalk railing when it broke, and he was plunged onto the beach below. He suffered injuries to his face and hands.
- A woman was riding her bicycle on the Jones Beach bike path when she hit a huge pothole and was thrown from the bike, suffering severe brain injuries.
Depending on the case’s facts and what is revealed in the investigations, someone may have been negligent in the above situations. If so, the victims might be entitled to compensation for medical bills, ongoing medical care, lost income, and pain and suffering.
What Are Typical Ways That Negligence Causes Accidents at Jones Beach State Park?
Jones Beach State Park is home to various recreational activities, all of which have risks. Below is a list of some accidents that can occur at Jones Beach State Park:
- Accidents attributable to management, including negligent acts of lifeguards or other employees that can cause injuries such as drowning, near drowning, broken bones, or assault.
- Accidents that result from poor maintenance, such as broken glass in the sand or sharp objects in the recreational area, inadequate lighting, and slippery floors. These injuries can cause a variety of injuries.
- Accidents that result from natural elements, such as ice and snow, riptides, and wildlife.
- Accidents that occur at events on the beach, boardwalk or amphitheater can result in serious injuries, especially if alcohol is involved.
- Accidents caused by dangerous equipment or structures, like dilapidated boardwalk planks or defective watersports equipment.
Who Might Be Liable for Injuries at Jones Beach State Park?
Ultimately, who might be liable depends on the individual circumstances of your accident and injury.
Potentially liable parties could include:
- The state of New York;
- Business owners, vendors, contractors or property owners along the State Park
- Individual persons
Seeking legal assistance if you are injured at Jones Beach is of utmost importance. Filing a claim against the wrong party can result in forfeiting some of your legal rights. Calling our experienced Jones Beach boardwalk injury lawyers is an essential first step in ensuring you don’t forfeit your right to collect compensation.
What Should I Know About Beach Injury Lawsuits?
Generally, there is a three-year statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits, including premises liability claims. However, when a state, municipality, or government agency is involved, the rules can change. The requirements are far more restrictive.
Here are some rules that apply to injury lawsuits against the state of New York:
- In injury lawsuits against a city or county, you only have 90 days to file a formal claim. The prescriptive period to file a lawsuit in both cases is one year; and
- If the injury lawsuit is against the state, you have two options available. Typically, you have 90 days to file a formal claim against the state. But if medical treatment is still ongoing and, as such, you are still unable to arrive at a precise and proper claim figure within the prescribed 90 days, then you may file a notice of intent to file a claim instead.
These formal notices are crucial. Not filing them within the prescribed period may prevent your case from going anywhere. Do not hesitate to reach out to our Jones Beach boardwalk accident lawyers to find out if you still have time to file a claim after being injured at Jones Beach. We can’t know for sure until we understand who the negligent party might be.
Why Should You Contact Our Jones Beach Boardwalk Injury Lawyers?
Personal injury lawsuits can be complicated and stressful. Having experienced Jones Beach slip and fall injury lawyers by your side can help ensure you exercise all options to collect compensation.
Call the Law Office of Irene H. Gabo, P.C. today to find out how we can help you file a claim to collect compensation for your Jones Beach boardwalk accident and injuries.