Big Apple Pothole and Sidewalk Protection Corporation An organization founded by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association that surveyed New York City streets and filed defect-marked maps with the City to establish prior written notice of hazards.
Created in the early 1980s in response to the Pothole Law, the corporation sent surveyors through NYC neighborhoods recording sidewalk and street defects, then served the resulting Big Apple Maps on the Department of Transportation. This gave injured pedestrians a ready source of written notice the City could not easily deny. Its practical role shrank after 2003, when § 7-210 moved most sidewalk liability to abutting owners who are not protected by notice requirements. The corporation and its maps still appear in litigation over falls where the City remains the proper defendant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Big Apple Pothole and Sidewalk Protection Corporation
What was the Big Apple Pothole and Sidewalk Protection Corporation?
An organization founded by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association that surveyed NYC streets and sidewalks and filed defect-marked maps with the City to create prior written notice.
Why was it formed?
In response to the Pothole Law, which barred suits against the City over defects it had not received written notice of. Systematic surveying supplied that notice in advance.
How did it work?
Surveyors walked neighborhoods recording sidewalk and street defects, and the resulting Big Apple Maps were served on the Department of Transportation.
Is it still relevant?
Much less so since 2003, when 7-210 moved most sidewalk liability to abutting owners who have no notice protection. The maps still appear in litigation where the City is the proper defendant.