Who’s liable for injuries on broken sidewalks? The answer may surprise you
Syosset resident Reid Goldsmith has spent more than a decade trying to get a damaged sidewalk on Woodbury Road in Plainview repaired.
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Dangerous and deteriorating sidewalks along Nassau County roads are raising concerns not only about public safety, but also about who is legally responsible when someone gets hurt.
Syosset resident Reid Goldsmith has spent more than a decade trying to get a damaged sidewalk on Woodbury Road in Plainview repaired. Large concrete slabs jut out at uneven angles, creating what he describes as a serious hazard for pedestrians.
"It's a travesty," Goldsmith said.
His efforts have included speaking before the Nassau County Legislature in 2024, where he called the sidewalk "a health hazard."
"Everything I've tried for over ten years has gotten shot down, stonewalled, or just nothing has been acted on," Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith is one of at least three Long Islanders who have recently raised concerns about broken or uneven sidewalks located along Nassau County-maintained roads.
While the roads are maintained by the county, responsibility for repairing adjacent sidewalks falls on the neighboring property owner under the Nassau County code. That responsibility can also carry legal consequences.
"Generally speaking, municipal law puts liability on the homeowner," said attorney Jonathan Tand of Bell Law Group. "We tend to sue the homeowner unless there's a distinct reason the county or town is involved."
In the case of the Woodbury Road sidewalk, the walkway runs directly behind residential properties, along homeowners' back fences. Several homeowners told News 12 they were unaware they were responsible for maintaining that section of sidewalk.
Goldsmith believes local governments should do more to educate residents about their obligations.
He also questioned whether homeowners should bear responsibility for sidewalks that serve the public and are located alongside county roads.
"It's the town's obligation or the county's to notify them, 'Hey, this is your responsibility,'" he said. "Or change the law."
News 12 reached out to Nassau County for comment on the issue, but a county spokesperson did not respond before publication.
