Girl Injured After Falling From Window of Chelsea Houses Public Housing Complex

Young Girl Seriously Injured After Falling From Window at Chelsea Public Housing Complex At 420 West 26th Street

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK (April 27, 2023) –  A young girl was seriously injured in a window fall accident at the Chelsea Houses public housing complex on West 26th Street.

New York City police officials are saying that the accident took place around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. A three-year-old girl fell from the sixth-floor at the Chelsea Houses public housing complex.

The girl was apparently on a bed pushed up against a window before the fall. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the accident in order to help the girl.

She fell approximately 60 feet and was taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Manhattan Window Fall Accidents

Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death for small children. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that nearly 5,000 children are injured after falling through windows every year. 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. It is common for children to suffer very serious injuries after falls.

• Spinal injuries
• Dislocated shoulders
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Lacerations
• Broken ribs
• Torn tendons

All property owners in New York have a legal responsibility to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. This must be done for the benefit of all persons whose presence on a property is reasonably foreseeable. When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on their property they must take steps to remedy the dangerous condition. Failure to remedy a dangerous condition could form the basis of a negligence claim.

There are specific rules with respect to having window guards on buildings. 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.” There are a number of 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 window fall accident. But it is important for accident victims to know that they do have rights. The family of any child that is injured in a window fall accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover many of the expenses that can come with a serious injury. A premises liability attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating A Manhattan Window Fall Accident

We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to the girl injured in this accident and her family. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other accidents like this.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Chelsea window fall accident? Our team of premises liability attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. 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 any type of support after an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.