Our Verdicts and Settlements
$2,500,000
Settlement at trial for negligent road design
$2,400,000
Settlement at trial for a construction worker
$1,750,000
For a student injured at school
$1,300,000
For a motorcyclist
$1,200,000
Verdict for Car Crash Victim
$1,000,000
For a motorcyclist
$950,000
For car crash victim
Slip and Fall Cases Our Lawyers Handle in Rochester, NY
Premises liability claims often come down to whether the property owner or another responsible party knew about a dangerous condition or should have known about it and failed to fix it. This is known as notice. Actual notice means they knew about the hazard, while constructive notice means it existed long enough that it should have been discovered. Liability may also exist when the party responsible created the dangerous condition.
Our Rochester slip and fall accident attorneys frequently handle cases involving:
- Wet, freshly mopped, or icy floors
- Dangerous conditions inside stores, markets, and dining spots
- Uneven sidewalks, potholes, and damaged stairways
- Poor lighting in stairwells, hallways, and parking garages
- Broken pavement and curbs at storefront entrances
- Negligent snow and ice removal during Monroe County winters
- Unsafe common areas in apartment buildings, hotels, and rental properties
- Dangerous conditions on commercial and industrial properties
Slip-and-fall accidents on snow and ice present additional challenges. Under New York’s storm-in-progress doctrine, property owners generally are not required to remove snow or ice while a storm is ongoing or for a reasonable time afterward. Proving when the storm ended and when the fall occurred can therefore become a critical part of the case.
What Happens if I Was Partially Responsible for the Accident?
You may still recover compensation if you were partially at fault for your slip and fall accident. Under New York’s pure comparative negligence rule, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than barred. For example, if you are found 20% responsible, you may still recover 80% of your damages.
Insurance companies often try to shift more of the blame onto injured victims to reduce what they pay. That’s why working with a slip-and-fall injury lawyer in Rochester is critical to protecting evidence, challenging unfair fault allegations, and pursuing the full compensation you deserve.
Why Rochester Victims Choose Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law
Insurance carriers treat slip and fall claims as fights to be won, and they count on unrepresented victims settling early for less than their case is worth. Our personal injury lawyers in Rochester level that imbalance.
With 48 attorneys, a 240-person team, and more than 27 years of litigation experience, Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law has served nearly 20,000 clients and has the strength to pursue even the most complex slip and fall claims in Western New York.
Trial-Ready Slip and Fall Attorneys
Many slip and fall claims settle, but the strongest settlements are often achieved by firms prepared to take a case to trial. We will build your case as though it will be presented to a Monroe County jury, strengthening your position throughout negotiations.
Personal Injury and Social Security Disability Representation
A serious slip and fall injury can affect more than your immediate recovery. If your injuries prevent you from returning to work, our Rochester Social Security Disability attorneys can pursue your personal injury claim and disability benefits at the same time, giving you one legal team for both matters.
Direct Access to Your Rochester Slip and Fall Lawyer
When you hire Hiller Comerford, you work directly with the attorney handling your case. You won’t be passed from one staff member to another or left wondering about the status of your claim. Instead, you’ll receive clear communication, honest guidance, and outstanding legal representation from beginning to end.
We Have a No-Fee Guarantee
You never pay us upfront. We only get paid if we win for you, so our success is directly tied to yours.
Free Case Evaluation
Speak with a lawyer at no cost. We’ll review your situation, explain your options, and help you understand the best path forward.
You’re More than a Case
We treat every client like family, taking the time to understand your story and guide you through every step with care and compassion.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Rochester Slip and Fall Accident Claim?
When you pursue a slip and fall accident claim in Rochester, you are not simply asking to be reimbursed for your medical bills. New York law allows injured victims to recover compensation for both the financial losses caused by the accident and the ways the injury affects their daily lives, ability to work, and future health. Every category of damages must be supported by evidence, making early documentation one of the most important parts of a successful claim.
Your Rochester slip and fall accident lawyer may pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses: Emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, physician visits, medication, physical therapy, and the cost of future medical care when your recovery is ongoing.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity: Income lost while you recover, as well as compensation if your injuries permanently limit the type of work you can perform or your future earning potential.
- Rehabilitation and long-term assistance: Occupational therapy, mobility equipment, in-home care, and reasonable home modifications needed because of lasting injuries.
- Out-of-pocket expenses and property damage: Replacement or repair of personal property damaged in the fall, along with other reasonable expenses directly related to your injuries.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, permanent limitations, scarring, and the loss of activities you were able to enjoy before the accident.
- Wrongful death damages: When a slip and fall accident results in death, surviving family members may have a separate wrongful death claim for losses allowed under New York law, including the financial support and services the deceased would have provided, as well as related funeral expenses.
Many of the most significant losses in a slip and fall case are not reflected in a receipt or invoice. Future medical treatment, permanent impairments, and reduced earning capacity often require medical opinions, employment records, and other evidence to establish their value.
A slip and fall accident attorney at Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law can make sure that those losses are fully documented so your claim reflects not only what the accident has already cost you, but what it is likely to cost you in the years ahead.
"We fight for our clients as if they were family—taking cases to trial when necessary to ensure they receive the justice and financial recovery they deserve."
How Does a Slip-and-Fall Accident Attorney Handle Your Claim?
After a serious slip and fall accident in Rochester, the work begins long before a settlement offer arrives. These cases often come down to proving who was responsible, whether they knew about the dangerous condition, and how the injury changed your life. A Rochester slip and fall accident attorney will handle the investigation, protect important evidence, and guide your claim through every stage of the process.
✓ Establishing liability: We determine whether the property owner or another responsible party failed to maintain safe conditions by reviewing safety standards, building codes, prior complaints, inspection records, and other evidence related to the hazard.
✓ Preserving critical evidence: We act quickly to secure surveillance footage, photographs, witness statements, maintenance records, incident reports, and other evidence that may disappear or become harder to obtain over time.
✓ Proving the extent of your injuries: We collect medical records, treatment notes, rehabilitation documentation, and other evidence showing how the slip-and-fall accident affected your health and daily life.
✓ Calculating your damages: We evaluate all available compensation, including medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, future care needs, and pain and suffering.
✓ Handling New York legal requirements: We manage applicable deadlines, required notices for claims involving government property, and other procedural requirements under New York premises liability law.
✓ Addressing comparative negligence defenses: We challenge attempts by insurance companies to shift blame onto you and reduce the value of your claim under New York’s comparative negligence rules.
✓ Negotiating with insurers: We handle settlement discussions with insurance companies while protecting your claim from unfair offers that do not reflect the full extent of your losses.
✓ Preparing for litigation: We prepare your case with trial in mind, developing expert testimony, accident reconstruction evidence, and the legal strategy needed if your claim must be presented before a jury in Monroe County Supreme Court.
When you hire our personal injury law firm, you gain a determined, trial-ready team in your corner. Your Rochester slip and fall accident lawyer takes over every conversation with the insurance adjusters, so their pressure tactics never reach you, and carries the legal load so you can put your energy entirely into recovery.
What Injuries Can Be Compensated in a Slip and Fall Accident?
Slip and fall accidents can cause injuries ranging from fractures and sprains to serious head, spinal, and long-term mobility issues. Our slip and fall injury lawyers help clients in Rochester pursue compensation for injuries such as:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries and head injuries
- Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries
- Ligament and soft tissue injuries
- Joint injuries and mobility limitations
- Injuries requiring surgery, rehabilitation, or ongoing care
The compensation available depends on the severity of the injury, the treatment required, and how the injury affects your daily life and ability to work. Our legal team can document these losses by working with medical providers and other professionals to understand the full impact of your injuries and present compelling evidence needed to support your claim.
Ida and Stephanie were great! They kept me posted about my case. They provided documents for my doctors to fill out so I had as much medical records as I could! Stephanie represented me in the Judge appeal and was great asking me questions about my disability and helping me convey those disabilities to the judge! I’m so grateful ☺️ for their help! Highly recommend them!
Working with Hiller Comerford was easy. They took care of everything and their communication was exceptional. I’ve already referred others to them.
Seriously grateful to my attorney, Ryan Taylor. I spent years trying to navigate VA disability on my own and they managed to finally make headway where I could not.
Everyone I spoke with and worked with was extremely kind and had great communication also they were compassionate,they worked very diligently to help me and kept me well informed throughout the process I couldn't thank them enough.
I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law for their exceptional support and guidance throughout my disability benefits process. Their expertise and dedication made an overwhelming situation feel manageable, and they ensured every step was handled with care and clarity. I am truly grateful for their assistance and highly recommend their services.
My lawyer RyanTaylor was amazing. He told me exactly how the process goes, what to expect and how long it realistically would take. He was able to get for me exactly what I had tried twice to do myself but was rejected by the VA for. I will recommend all my Veteran friends to him.
Hard workers, always looking at the positive side of the case and always listening to the client. Only down remark is hard to get calls back.
Hiller Comerford have been amazing. They got me a fully favorable decision on my disability claim, I could have never been able to do that on my own. Everyone in their office is so kind and so knowledgeable. They really helped make a difficult time of my life a pleasure. Thank you so much Hiller Comerford!!!
The firm understands the situation, and are very acknowledged about the social security laws and guidelines. Staff were very friendly. The attorney that represented me was Charles Gaughan and the case manager was Olivia Fritzen. They did a wonderful job with my representation for my case. I would highly recommend The law firm of Hiller and Comerford.
Statute of Limitations for Rochester Slip and Fall Injury Claims
In New York, a slip and fall accident lawsuit must be filed within three years of the date of the injury. Claims against a municipality, such as the City of Rochester, generally require a Notice of Claim within 90 days.
But the statute of limitations is not the only clock running after a slip and fall accident. Critical evidence can disappear long before a lawsuit deadline arrives. Property owners may repair the dangerous condition, overwrite surveillance footage, or change maintenance records after a fall. Acting quickly gives your slip-and-fall accident lawyer the opportunity to preserve the evidence needed to prove how the accident happened and who was responsible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to questions we hear most often from our clients in Rochester. For more information, visit our FAQ page or reach out to a slip and fall attorney near you today.
What should I do immediately after a slip and fall accident in Rochester?
After a slip and fall accident in Rochester, seek medical attention, report the incident to the property owner or manager, and document the scene if you are able. Take photos of the dangerous condition, gather contact information from witnesses, and keep records of your medical treatment. Because evidence such as surveillance footage and maintenance records can disappear, contacting a slip and fall lawyer early can help protect your claim.
How much does it cost to hire a slip and fall accident lawyer in Rochester, NY?
At Hiller Comerford Injury & Disability Law, we handle slip and fall accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront legal fees, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We also offer a free case evaluation so you can understand your options before deciding how to proceed.
Who can be held responsible for a slip-and-fall accident in Rochester?
Responsibility depends on who controlled the property and who had a duty to maintain safe conditions. A claim may involve a property owner, business operator, landlord, property management company, or another party responsible for creating or failing to correct a dangerous condition. Your attorney will investigate who had notice of the hazard and whether they failed to take reasonable steps to address it.
How much is my slip-and-fall accident claim worth?
The value of a Rochester slip and fall claim depends on your injuries, medical expenses, lost income, future treatment needs, and how the accident affects your life. Our attorneys often see injured victims offered settlements before they know the full extent of their recovery. Those early offers may not account for future medical care, lasting limitations, or other long-term losses. We evaluate the full impact of your injuries to determine whether a settlement truly reflects the value of your claim.
How long do slip-and-fall injury cases usually take to resolve?
The timeline for a slip and fall case in Rochester, NY, depends on the complexity of the injuries, the amount of investigation required, and whether the insurance company accepts responsibility. Some claims resolve through settlement, while others require litigation in court. Your lawyer can help move the case forward while ensuring important evidence and legal deadlines are protected.
