I Fell at Madison Square Garden. What Should I Do Next?

You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses if you fell at Madison Square Gardens. However, this will depend on the steps you take after the incident. Here is everything you need to know.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Seeking immediate medical attention is the first and most important thing you must do before taking further steps. No matter the circumstances, your health and well-being should always be the top priority in such situations. 

Immediately after an accident at MSG, you may not be aware of the full extent of your injuries. This can be risky since some injuries may not be immediately visible. Take, for example, internal bleeding. This kind of injury can cause serious damage to your body (internally), and by the time doctors get to find out what happened, it might be too late.

The sooner you get checked by a medical professional, the faster you will be able to receive the appropriate treatment. Getting prompt treatment also promotes faster healing. On the contrary, ignoring or delaying medical care may worsen your condition. And from a legal standpoint, no liable party, including MSG, will want to compensate you if you did not take the necessary steps to seek treatment within a reasonable time, usually no later than 72 hours after the accident. 

When you seek medical attention, the healthcare professional that examined your injuries will create an official record of these injuries and the subsequent treatment you received. This documentation could play a significant role in future legal proceedings or when you file a claim with Madison Square Garden or any other liable party. Without this documentation, the party responsible for your injuries could easily claim that you were injured elsewhere. 

Let the Appropriate Personnel Know You Got Injured

One of the key questions that could potentially pop up when you get injured at Madison Square Garden is: who did you report the incident to? Depending on how the accident occurred and the kind of injuries you sustained, the answer to this question could make or break your case. 

Remember, MSG or any other party responsible for your injuries will want to deny liability. The chances of denial will increase if gaps exist in your version of events.

By reporting the accident, you create an official record of what happened and avoid unnecessary gaps that could raise doubts about the validity of your claim. 

So to whom exactly should you report the accident? Generally, you should report it to the appropriate personnel within the venue. It could be the security staff, event organizers, or management personnel. If you are unsure who to contact, you can ask for assistance from any staff member at the venue.

Gather As Much Evidence As You Can, If Possible

Before we even look at the kind of evidence you may need to support your case, it is important to understand why exactly this step is critical. 

To begin with, the evidence you gather after getting injured at Madison Square Garden can help establish a clear and accurate account of what happened during the incident. It will likely reveal the details surrounding the accident. 

When you have solid evidence, you can provide a reliable and consistent narrative of the events that occurred. The last thing you want is to give conflicting narratives further down the road when seeking compensation for your injuries or losses. 

Also, keep in mind that for any legal proceedings or insurance claims, you'll need evidence to support your version of events. A lack of evidence gives the other party a chance to deny liability. The management at MSG, in particular, has proven that they can make it difficult for claimants to seek compensation for injuries sustained at the famous arena. 

That explains why they recently banned attorneys suing them, including those not involved in litigation, from accessing their venues. Think about it this way: If MCG Entertainment, the company that owns the arena, can ban injury lawyers from their venue, what would they do to you, an innocent visitor? That shows you just how important it is to gather evidence, but only if circumstances allow. 

The evidence you collect can also help in determining liability for the incident. And, in some cases, more than one party may be responsible. For example, if the accident occurred due to inadequate security, the event organizer may be held responsible. Similarly, if you slipped and fell anywhere within the building due to dim lighting, wet flooring, torn carpeting, or other similar factors, you may be able to hold the management accountable.

Certain types of evidence can help assess the damages you have suffered as a result of the incident. For example, your medical records and bills will paint a comprehensive picture of the impact the incident has had on your physical, emotional, and financial well-being.

Contact a Premises Liability Attorney for a Case Evaluation

Cases involving injuries sustained at Madison Square Garden usually fall under the umbrella of premises liability. For this reason, you should contact an attorney who specializes in premises liability cases. Luckily for you, you're in the right place.

At Morgan and Morgan, our premises liability attorneys deeply understand specific laws and regulations that govern accidents and injuries that occur on someone else's property in New York City. They also know how challenging it can be for the injured to establish liability and negligence, given that in such cases, plaintiffs carry the burden of proof. 

In other words, getting injured at Madison Square Gardens does not automatically guarantee compensation for your injuries. Bear in mind that MSG is owned by powerful individuals with access to top defense attorneys to challenge your claim. This can make proving liability particularly difficult, especially without legal representation. 

When you contact us about the case, we will evaluate the circumstances surrounding your injury for free. This is the only way we will be able to determine the viability of your claim. 

Once we determine that you have a viable case and you choose to hire our premises liability attorneys to represent you, we will advise you on the potential legal options available to you.

What Type of Evidence Will the Attorney Use To Prove My Case?

Many different types of evidence could help build a strong case against Madison Square Garden if you get injured at the arena, or any other theater they own, such as the Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre, all located in Manhattan.

In most cases, your attorney will need to review your medical records, which is why it is always important to seek medical attention after suffering such an injury, other than the fact that your health comes first. Your medical records, in this context, could include the following:

• Diagnoses
• Treatment plans recommended by your doctor
• Hospitalization details,
• Records of surgeries or procedures you or your loved one may have undergone

Your legal team will use these records as proof of your injuries, which also show the extent of your medical treatment and its impact on your life.

In cases where liability may be disputed, which is not uncommon in the first place, you can count on your lawyer to consult with expert witnesses. These are individuals with extensive experience in certain fields or aspects beyond that expected from a common person. 

Their opinions regarding specific aspects of your injuries, such as the cause, negligence, or liability, can help provide valuable evidence against Madison Square Garden or any other party that might have been liable.

The MSG can accommodate close to 19,000 people at any given time. So it's likely that there were witnesses who observed the incident or have relevant information about the conditions at the venue. In that case, their statements can provide crucial firsthand accounts that support your version of events and establish the negligence or responsibility of the property owner or management. An experienced attorney can help you gather witness statements to strengthen your case. 

Remember when we mentioned the importance of filing incident reports? This is where they come in handy. A skilled premises liability lawyer will review these reports to establish important facts about the incident and use their findings to add more weight to your case. 

If you got injured due to defective equipment at this venue, chances are that someone somewhere down the line was negligent. It could be the equipment manufacturer, a private contractor, or even MSG. 

A good example is a situation where visitors get injured while riding an escalator. That should be one of the least harmful things to do, yet failure to take care of this equipment can turn disastrous. If someone was negligent, leading to your injuries, the maintenance records could reveal the truth and help establish liability. 

Your attorney may request and review maintenance and safety records from Madison Square Garden. Specifically, they will want to find out whether there were any previous incidents, safety concerns, or negligent practices that may have played a role in your injury.

What Damages Can an Attorney Help Me Recover?

These types of cases don't usually come with fixed damages the injured party is entitled to. Instead, they vary depending on the circumstances of each case, as discussed below. 

If you sought medical assistance after the injury, which you should have, your attorney may be able to help you recover the costs of medical treatments you received. Under the umbrella of medical expenses, you'll find expenses related to hospital stays, surgeries, medications prescribed for the injured party, rehabilitation, or therapy (physical, occupational, massage, and so on).

Keep in mind that under medical expenses, your attorney will want to ensure that you obtain compensation for both current and anticipated future expenses resulting from the incident.

If you suffered serious injuries, you may not be able to work. Alternatively, the accident may have resulted in diminished earning capacity, meaning you may still be able to work, but your income won't be the same as it was before the accident. 

If that's what you're going through, your attorney might be able to help you seek compensation for the wages or income you have lost. To do this, they will consider factors such as your current earnings, whether the injury negatively impacted your career advancements, and the impact of your injuries on your ability to earn a living. 

The physical pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish you or your loved one has endured due to the incident and resulting injuries won't just be a painful memory or feeling. Your attorney might be able to help you obtain compensation for this as well.

Certain injuries can lead to permanent disability or disfigurement. For example, slip and fall incidents, especially those that involve falling from several floors, can lead to spinal cord injuries, a common cause of paralysis. These kinds of injuries could ruin your quality of life, prevent you from participating in daily activities you used to enjoy, and even damage your self-esteem and personal relationships with your loved ones.  

In addition, if Madison Square Garden or its personnel is found to be particularly reckless or intentional in their actions that led to your injuries, your attorney may pursue punitive damages to maximize your claim. 

We Can Help You Hold Madison Square Garden Accountable

MSG's management has shown that they cannot be trusted to protect your interests in the event that you get injured after a fall at this famous arena or any other under their ownership. The recent decision to ban attorneys from their venues is more than enough proof of their intolerance toward anyone who dares come up against them to hold them accountable for their negligence. But the good news is that they cannot ban you from fighting for your right to compensation. If you or a loved one fell at MSG, contact us now to learn how we may be able to help.