NYCHA Premises Liability Lawyers

Our Success Handling NYCHA Premises Liability Lawsuits 

Our success includes a $58 million verdict against NYCHA on behalf of a Bronx family—the largest lead paint verdict in NYC history. Other verdicts include $11 million awarded for injuries sustained as a result of lead poisoning in an infant, $1.75 million, and $1.6 million for child brain damage. 

Our team of NYCHA lawyers is prepared to handle premises liability claims arising from negligence for the following: 

Negligent Security 

In 2018 and 2022, the Comptroller’s Office conducted audits of the entrances to NYCHA buildings, finding a large-scale issue with building security, e.g., “Exterior doors that are not securely locked enable intruders and unauthorized persons to gain access to buildings and potentially put residents and authorized guests at risk.” 

Lead Paint Poisoning 

Lead paint in NYCHA properties can inflict irreversible cognitive damage, especially in children. While lead paint was banned in 1968, a recent study showed that thousands of NYCHA apartments where children under age six live were still contaminated. Lead exposure delays the cognitive development of young children and can negatively affect their immune and cardiovascular systems. Since 2012, more than 1,160 children living in NYCHA public housing have registered dangerously elevated levels of lead in their systems, which underscores the serious nature of this public health hazard. 

Faulty Elevators  

Lax safety protocols regarding NYCHA elevator maintenance have led to tragedies. In 2016, the Department of Investigation (DOI) identified numerous weaknesses in NYCHA’s systems “for promptly communicating about and responding to elevator problems in its more than 3,000 elevators in NYCHA public housing developments.” Residents have been injured or killed by significant breakdowns in communication, lax enforcement, and improper compliance with the law. 

Our New York City premises liability lawyers can help you pursue fair and just compensation for your losses while holding all negligent parties accountable. 

What to Do After You’ve Been Hurt  

To bring a premises liability claim, you will need to prove that NYCHA was negligent. In addition, unsafe or poorly maintained conditions would be insufficient grounds to prove that negligence played a role and why one should be owed due compensation. To prove negligence, NYCHA should have been aware of the problem and failed to act or correct it. You can help build a strong case by the following:  

• Medical documentation. Your medical bills, treatment records, insurance payments, and pictures of your injuries are all helpful in determining how much money you may deserve for what happened. Banking statements can also prove to the court that you’ve sustained financial losses. 

• Photos and videos. Photographic evidence is hard to deny. If possible, take pictures of the hazardous condition, e.g., broken locks on the front door of the building, if you were assaulted due to negligent security. If you file a complaint with NYCHA, take a picture at the same time. This evidence is crucial if you ever have to testify in court or before a jury. 

• Correspondence with NYCHA. Keep a copy of all your correspondence with NYCHA, including a complaint you’ve filed or other evidence that it knew about the issue. It would be difficult to prove that NYCHA was liable if they did not know about the problem or reasonably should have known about it. 

Whether you need representation for a NYCHA lead paint lawsuit, faulty security, or dangerous elevators, we are here to help you pursue the best possible outcome. 

Contact Us for a Free Consultation  

It can be intimidating to sue NYCHA. However, our NYCHA premises liability lawyers at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP can level the playing field while guiding you through every stage of the legal process.