Pushed Down a Flight of Stairs...

by Sarah
(New York)

I was pushed down an indoor flight of 16 stairs by my mother's boyfriend. He was being very aggressive towards me and shouting at me, and then he pushed me and I fell down the stairs.

Can I file a personal injury claim against him and receive compensation? What do you think I should do? Thanks for any help you can give.

Disclaimer: Information provided in your response is not formal legal advice, it is generic legal information and is based on the very limited information given in your question. You should always get a formal case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Pushed Down a Flight of Stairs...":

Sarah (New York):

Hopefully at the time of the assault you called the police and had the bully arrested. From the facts you present it appears his actions were entirely criminal.

If for any reason you didn't file a police report and didn't suffer any injuries, the chances of prevailing in a legal claim against him will be remote.

His actions were criminal in nature, and as such should have been documented by someone, preferably the police. Documentation includes a police report, witness statements, photographs, and any other forms of credible documentation of your injuries.

With that information in hand you can file lawsuit against him in Small Claims Court. In New York State the maximum "jurisdictional limit" for Small Claims Court is $5,000 dollars. Hopefully the man who assaulted you has some assets.

On the other hand if the assault occurred at his home and he carried homeowners insurance you may be able to pursue a legal claim against him through his homeowners insurance. To do so you will need to learn the identity of his homeowners insurance company. With that information in hand you can file a claim.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.

Best of luck,

Law Guy

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