Boy Pronounced Dead At The Scene After Falling From Building In East Flatbush, Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK (August 29, 2023) – A 4-year-old boy has tragically died after falling from a fourth floor building in Brooklyn in East Flatbush.
New York City police officials are saying that the accident took place around 3:00 p.m. on Monday. The boy fell from the building under unclear circumstances.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, the child die due to the severity of his injuries.
Investigators believe the child may have slipped past the security gate on the window. A full investigation into the accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Brooklyn Window Fall Accidents
Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death for small children. According to one report from the Stanford Children’s Hospital, over 2.2 million children are sent to the emergency room every year due to fall related injuries. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that nearly 5,000 children are injured after falling through windows. In particular, window falls account for nearly 100 deaths per year. Children under 10 years old are at the greatest risk of being injured in a window fall. Victims of window falls tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries including:
- Spinal injuries
- Dislocated shoulders
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Lacerations
- Broken ribs
Depending on the unique facts of any case, there could be numerous sources of liability for an accident if a child falls through a window. According to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, “In all buildings with three or more apartments, New York City (NYC) law requires that building owners install window guards if a child age 10 years or younger lives there, or if the tenant or occupant requests window guards for any reason.” If a window lacked proper guards and a child fell through that window, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are numerous steps that should be taken after any window fall accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any fatal accident. To make matters worse, building owners will often do everything that they can to deny liability if anyone is injured in their property. However, many window falls involve some amount of negligence. The family of any child that died in a window fall accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating Brooklyn Window Fall Accidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to the family of the child that died in this East Flatbush accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other tragedies like this.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed in a window fall accident? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
