Brooklyn Beach Injuries: What Are My Legal Options?
In Brooklyn, NY, we’re lucky to have access to several beaches and shorelines for fun days outdoors. When injuries occur at the beach, a relaxing time in the sun can turn problematic.
You may be wondering what your legal options are after being injured on a Brooklyn beach or any other beach in the NYC area. These are the types of cases we handle at Zucker & Regev, P.C. As a Brooklyn personal injury law firm, we help clients collect after suffering injuries in car accidents, construction accidents, beach accidents, and more. Here’s what you need to know after being injured at the beach.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Claim or a Premises Liability Claim?
Even though personal injury and premises liability are similar areas of law, there are some important distinctions between the two that will affect the nature of your case.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
You can file a personal injury claim if the beach injury you suffered was a direct result of another individual’s negligence. As the term suggests, this area of law is about personal liability rather than group action.
Examples where a personal injury claim would be more appropriate include:
- A man is injured by an object thrown by a negligent party at Fort Tilden Beach
- A child cuts their foot on a glass bottle left in the sand by an individual departing Brighton Beach
- A woman is bitten by another person’s uncontrolled dog on Riegelmann Boardwalk
- A family suffers food poisoning after being sold contaminated food by a vendor at Coney Island
Filing a Premises Liability Lawsuit
You can file a premises liability claim if you suffered an injury that was caused by unsafe conditions on another person’s property.
There are some privately owned beaches around NYC, but in the case of public beaches like Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Rockaway Beach, the property is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation, a government entity. This means that the city you were injured in or the State of New York may be liable for your injuries.
Examples where a premises liability claim would be more appropriate include:
- A child is injured by defective playground equipment at Jones Beach
- An elderly person slips and falls on a poorly maintained walkway at Jacob Riis Park
- A man is struck by a falling object during construction at Coney Island Beach
- A woman drowns despite a lifeguard being on duty at Rockaway Beach
A Recent Brooklyn Beach Injury
In August 2023, a man was injured on Coney Island Beach after being run over by a beach rake handled by Parks Department employees.
Though the injury occurred after the beach had closed for the night, the fact that a government employee was involved in the injury makes it likely that the victim could explore filing a claim against the city.
Let’s Determine Your Next Steps
In the aftermath of a Brooklyn beach injury, it can be difficult to determine which type of lawsuit to pursue on your own—and even harder to find success if you’re going up against the city or state. At Zucker & Regev in Brooklyn, NY, we can help you plan your path forward and collect maximum compensation for your injuries. Send us a message today to request your free consultation.