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I Slipped and Fell at a CTown Supermarket in New York City
CTown Supermarkets are a familiar sight across New York City neighborhoods — from the Bronx and Washington Heights to Brooklyn and Queens. But CTown is different from national chains like Walmart or Target in one legally important way: CTown is a cooperative brand of independently owned and franchised grocery stores. Most CTown locations are supplied and licensed through Krasdale Foods and its affiliated banner network, but each store is typically owned and operated by an individual franchisee or family-run corporation. That ownership structure has a direct effect on who you actually sue if you slip and fall on the premises.
If you were injured in a fall at a CTown due to a wet floor, a spill, a defective floor mat, produce or ice on the ground, or a poorly maintained entrance, you may be entitled to compensation. You can reach the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin at 212-233-1233 or by email at [email protected] for a free consultation.
Written by the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin, PLLC, a New York personal injury and litigation firm. Last updated: June 2024.
Why CTown's ownership structure matters for your case
Unlike a corporate-owned chain where you generally sue a single national entity, a CTown store is usually operated by a local franchisee. This means the correct defendant in your case is often the individual corporation or LLC that owns and runs that specific location — not "CTown" or Krasdale Foods as a whole. Identifying the right defendant early is critical, because suing the wrong party can waste time you don't have under New York's filing deadlines.
To find out who owns a specific CTown, we typically:
- Review the certificate of occupancy and any "doing business as" (DBA) filings for the address;
- Search New York's Department of State corporation records for the operating entity;
- Request the store's incident report, which usually identifies the operating company and its liability insurer;
- Determine whether the property owner (landlord) and the store operator are separate parties, which is common in NYC, since many stores lease commercial space. Both may share responsibility depending on who controlled the hazardous area.
Because CTown stores are often smaller, older NYC storefronts, hazards frequently arise from tight aisles, refrigerated case leaks, worn or torn floor tiles, entrance mats that bunch on rainy days, and produce or packaging debris on the floor. Documenting the exact condition and who was responsible for it is the foundation of a strong claim.
What to do immediately after a slip and fall at CTown
- Report it to the store manager and insist that a written incident report be created. Ask for a copy, and note the manager's name.
- Ask about surveillance footage. Most NYC supermarkets have cameras. Footage is often overwritten within days or weeks, so a prompt written preservation request from your attorney matters.
- Photograph the hazard and the surrounding area before it is cleaned up — the spill, the mat, the tile, any warning cone (or lack of one), and the lighting. Get date/time-stamped images.
- Identify witnesses and get their names and phone numbers. Independent witnesses carry more weight than friends or family.
- Seek medical treatment promptly. Delay gives the insurer an argument that your injury was unrelated to the fall.
- Get the name of the store's operating company and insurance carrier from the manager or the incident report.
Proving negligence under New York law
To hold a CTown operator liable, you must prove the elements of a negligence claim: that the store owed you a duty of care, breached it, and that the breach caused your injuries and damages. As a business open to the public, a CTown owes its customers a duty to keep the premises reasonably safe.
The contested issue in most supermarket cases is notice. Under long-standing New York law, a property owner is only liable for a dangerous condition it either created, or of which it had actual or constructive notice. In Gordon v. American Museum of Natural History, 67 N.Y.2d 836 (1986), the Court of Appeals held that to establish constructive notice, "a defect must be visible and apparent and it must exist for a sufficient length of time prior to the accident to permit defendant's employees to discover and remedy it."
This is why how long the hazard was present is so important. A drink spilled seconds before you fell, with no employee having seen it, may not create liability. But a spill that sat for an hour in a monitored aisle, or a chronically leaking freezer case, can establish constructive notice. Under the framework in Gordon and cases applying it, a store that follows and documents a reasonable inspection routine may defeat a constructive-notice claim — while a store with no inspection practice and a longstanding hazard is far more exposed.
New York courts also apply the "recurring condition" doctrine: if a particular hazard (for example, a produce-display area that repeatedly leaves debris on the floor) recurs and the store is aware of it, that can support an inference of constructive notice even without proof of the specific spill's duration.
Deadlines and comparative fault in New York
New York's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including slip and fall, is three years from the date of the accident under CPLR § 214. Waiting can also cost you evidence — surveillance video and store records disappear long before three years pass — so acting early matters practically, not just legally.
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule under CPLR § 1411. If you are found partly at fault (for example, for wearing distracting footwear or not watching where you walked), your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — but you are not barred from recovering entirely. Even a plaintiff found 50% or more at fault may still recover a reduced amount in New York.
Damages you may recover
Compensation in a CTown slip-and-fall case may include:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity;
- Pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life (see our page on how pain and suffering damages are calculated in New York);
- Out-of-pocket costs and property damage.
Documentation drives value: medical records and bills, pay stubs and tax returns for wage loss, and physician opinions on future treatment and recovery time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I sue CTown corporate or the individual store owner?
In most cases you sue the local entity that owns and operates the specific CTown location, because these are franchised, independently operated stores. Depending on the facts, the property owner and, in limited circumstances, the licensing supplier may also be named. Identifying the correct defendant is one of the first things we investigate.
The store already made me sign an incident report. Did I hurt my case?
Not necessarily. An incident report is useful evidence and often identifies the operating company and insurer. However, you should not give a recorded statement to an insurer or sign a release before speaking with an attorney.
What if there was no "wet floor" sign?
The absence of a warning can support your claim, but you still generally must show the store created the hazard or had actual or constructive notice of it. The lack of a cone is one factor among many.
How much does a slip and fall lawyer cost?
Most slip-and-fall cases are handled on a contingency fee — you pay no attorney's fee unless there is a recovery.
Related supermarket slip-and-fall resources
- Slip and fall in a supermarket in New York
- How to build a slip-and-fall case
- Common slip-and-fall pitfalls to avoid
Speak with a New York slip-and-fall attorney
If you were injured at a CTown in New York City, the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin can help you identify the correct defendant, preserve evidence before it disappears, and pursue the compensation you are entitled to. We serve Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, and Westchester County. Call 212-233-1233 or email [email protected].
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is fact-specific; consult an attorney about your situation.
About the Author
Albert Goodwin Esq. is a licensed New York attorney with over 18 years of courtroom experience. His extensive knowledge and expertise make him well-qualified to write authoritative articles on a wide range of legal topics. He can be reached at 212-233-1233 or [email protected].
