Category: Blog

New York concertgoer sues venue for brain injury, sparse security

New York City is known to have one of the most active and innovative music scenes in the country, if not the world. This gives local residents the opportunity to attend a concert on any given night of the week. One New York man’s expectations for a spontaneous night of fun at a concert came to a quick — and unexpected — end.

A 24-year-old Brooklyn resident was asked by a friend to attend a show hosted by the electronic group Justice at the Hammerstein Ballroom. As the night wore on, the crowd became increasingly rowdy. In fact, one patron was able to jump from the balcony because there was not enough security to stop him. As a result of the two-story fall, the jumper fell on the Brooklyn man’s head and inflicted serious brain injuries.

Nearly a year after the accident occurred, the injured concertgoer has filed a premises liability claim in a Manhattan court for negligent security.

Although most falling objects cases involve inanimate objects, the underlying legal issues in this case are the same. Just as a property owner has a duty to take steps to make sure that potentially dangerous objects are secured and don’t fall on unsuspecting people, the management at the Hammerstein Ballroom should have made sure there was enough security at the concert. At the very least, efforts should have been made to ensure patrons wouldn’t jump or fall over the balcony’s rail.

Since suffering injuries at the concert, the 24-year-old man has had a difficult time recovering. Traumatic brain injuries and injured ligaments kept him away from doing any work for five months. Still, the man is only able to meet the demands of a part-time job because he has memory issues. A successful claim could help the young man gain access to resources that will be helpful in his recovery.

Source: New York Post, “Man sues Hammerstein Ballroom after patron landed on him in 2-story fall,” Julia Marsh, Sept. 30, 2013

Hotels should consider guests to prevent slip-and-fall accidents

New York City is a major destination for tourists from all corners of the globe. When people begin their vacation, they are likely excited to take advantage of all that the city has to offer. Knowing this, travelers don’t want to worry about something that will hinder their fun or cause their trip to come to an early end.

The overall experience someone has with his or her hotel can make or break the success of a vacation. As such, hotel management should take steps to ensure that their guests remain happy and healthy during their stay, since there is definite room for accidents to happen.

One prominent travel writer notes that more and more baby boomers will be traveling in the coming years, and hotels may want to make considerations for this trend. Of course, the needs of traveling baby boomers are different than younger travelers’ needs.

As boomers continue to age, certain considerations may need to be made to account for mobility concerns. Specifically, older people may be more susceptible to slip-and-fall accidents. Knowing this, hotels may want to clear hotel floors of tripping hazards and install bath mats to minimize the risk of wet floors. These are only a couple specific accommodations to consider, but they could prove helpful in minimizing the risk of accidents.

Simply put, places of business should try to accommodate anticipated clientele. If an older group of guests is expected, then special considerations may be made to minimize the risk of injury.

Hotels have a duty to ensure their guests are safe. As a result, patrons might benefit from understanding the protections included in personal injury laws in the event they are harmed in an accident on hotel premises.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Dear Hotel Manager: Are Your Rooms Booomer-Proofed?” Dr. Irene S. Levine, Sept. 27, 2013