NYC sues Asher & Associates for $41 million bogus slip‑and‑fall scheme
New York City filed a federal lawsuit on October 6, 2026, alleging that personal injury firm Asher & Associates invented a series of fraudulent slip‑and‑fall claims that sought $41 million from the city.
The complaint cites fifteen cases in which the firm alleged the city was liable for injuries caused by sidewalk and roadway defects, each claim demanding roughly $3 million. One highlighted case described a plaintiff who supposedly slipped over a metal plate on a Brooklyn sidewalk; however, medical records from Kings County Medical Center reveal the plaintiff was actually struck with a lead pipe during a Thanksgiving‑day altercation.
According to New York City Corporation Counsel Steven Banks, “personal injury laws exist to protect actual victims of trauma, not to line the pockets of people looking to make a quick buck off City taxpayers.” The filing accuses Asher & Associates of systematically transforming emergency‑room narratives—such as a punch in the jaw or an opened car door—into alleged defects in city‑controlled roadways.
“This firm undermined our civil justice system by operating an illegal scheme to defraud taxpayers and fabricating personal injury claims against the City and others.”
The lawsuit notes that the firm has collected “millions of dollars” in settlements and judgments over at least a decade, while more than 875 related cases are still pending against the city, Con Ed and other entities involved in road work across the city.
Tom Stebbins, executive director of the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York, praised the city’s action, saying it “tackles the legal system abuse that drives up costs throughout the economy, and makes New York less affordable for all.” In 2024, the city’s comptroller reported that New York paid out over $1 billion in personal injury and property tort claims.
The filing seeks recovery of the alleged fraudulent payouts and aims to prevent further abuse of the city’s liability protections. City officials plan to pursue further legal remedies as the case proceeds through the federal courts.
