Assault Injury Lawyer NYC

An arrest is not the end of your options, and no arrest is not the end of them either. A civil assault claim in New York can proceed against the attacker and, more usefully, against a property owner or business whose inadequate security made the attack foreseeable. Criminal court decides punishment; civil court decides compensation, and the standard of proof is lower.

• Broken or propped exterior doors and non-functioning intercoms in residential buildings.
• Missing, unmonitored or non-recording cameras in garages and lobbies.
• Absent or untrained security staff in bars, clubs, hotels and event venues.
• Failure to eject a patron already threatening violence, or over-service leading to a foreseeable fight.
• Known prior violent incidents at the same location with no security change afterwards.
• Poor lighting and blind stairwells in parking structures and NYCHA developments.

I was attacked in my apartment building lobby

A landlord owes tenants minimal security in a multiple dwelling. Broken door locks with prior complaints is a classic New York negligent security case.

Bouncers assaulted me at a club

The venue is responsible for its security staff acting in the scope of employment, and its liquor licence brings Dram Shop exposure into play.

I was assaulted at work or in a hotel

Employer claims may run through workers' compensation, but the property owner, management company and any security contractor can still be sued directly.

Camera footage in bars and garages is frequently overwritten in days. We move immediately for preservation, obtain 311 and NYPD complaint history for the address, request prior incident reports, and secure medical documentation of injuries and psychological harm. Assault claims carry short limits — often one year for intentional torts against the attacker, three years for negligent security against a property owner, and 90 days for a notice of claim against a city agency or NYCHA.