As New York Removes Last Payphones, Sidewalk Dangers Emerge

New York City is removing vestiges of a bygone era. More than 3,000 payphone banks will soon be gone in the city’s five boroughs. The payphones will be eliminated to make room for Internet kiosks and help provide more sidewalk room for pedestrians and those with disabilities.

When sidewalks become a danger

However, when construction workers rip out these payphone banks, the sidewalk area can be dangerous to pedestrians. Walkers may trip and fall in an area that has had the sidewalk removed but was not marked. Removing the payphones could lead to parts of the sidewalk upending, leaving a trip hazard.

If pedestrians slip or trip and fall because of a hazardous sidewalk, they could suffer a serious injury, such as:

• Broken or fractured bones
• A concussion or brain injury
• Muscle strains and sprains
• Lacerations and bleeding

What to do when injured because of a hazardous sidewalk

If you slip or trip and suffer an injury because of a hazardous sidewalk, you may wonder if you have a personal injury case. To receive compensation, you have to prove that someone is negligent in keeping the sidewalk area safe. You may need to prove that the City of New York or contract construction companies didn’t put up a warning sign about a dangerous sidewalk or cordon that part of the sidewalk off.

You alone aren’t responsible for staying safe on New York City sidewalks. Other parties also are supposed to ensure pedestrians don’t face extra dangers because of a sidewalk’s condition.