While slip and fall accidents might sound like a typical, minor accident, they have actually shown to be one of the most common injuries that occur and they also happen to cause severe injuries to the people that they happen to. Often times, these accidentsare not just a one-time injury. These accidents can lead to injuries throughout the body and be responsible for needing months of medical care and healing, along with thousands of dollars in medical bills. If you have experienced a slip and fall accident in your apartment building, you know exactly the hardships that come along with the accident and you are probably wondering if there is any way to file a claim after an incident like this. You are likely incurring thousands in medical debt and are looking for a way to offset these expenses that resulted from a situation that was not even your fault.
Your Rights
While you might feel like you are at the mercy of your landlord in more ways than one, you actually have many rights when you are renting from an apartment building. One of the rights that you have is to have a safe place to live. You are paying for your apartment, so why should you not be provided with a safe location to walk and live? You absolutely have the right to be able to travel in and out of your building in a reasonable fashion without being exposed to safety hazards.
Landlord Responsibilities
Just as you have rights in a renting situation, the landlord also has designated responsibilities that they must uphold. Those responsibilities include keeping the apartment building in livable condition and addressing any maintenance issues that could cause a hazard in a timely fashion. If there is a hazard that could cause danger to the safety of the tenants, landlords are responsible for making sure that they are aware and don’t become injured because they are not aware of that hazard.
When there is something to repair, landlords are expected to do it in a complete and expedient fashion so as to reduce the chance of someone becoming injured as a result of negligence.
Common Examples
In an apartment building, there are a number of maintenance issues that could cause you injury. One of the most common issues is loose carpeting on the stairwell. The landlord is responsible for maintenance such as this and if you slip and fall on it and it is not marked as being hazardous, then your landlord could very well be responsible for any medical bills and injuries that occur as a result.
Next Steps
If you have been injured in your apartment building as a result of a lack of attention by the apartment building staff to outstanding hazards, then you can absolutely file a claim against the individual or management company that is in charge. To give yourself the best chance of getting what you are owed in a situation like this, be sure to consult with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney that can guide you through the process and ensure maximum benefit.
The experienced slip and fall injury lawyers at Salamati Law have provided additional information regarding your rights if you have slipped and fell on a hazardous surface in your apartment building: https://www.salamatilaw.com/slip-and-fall/apartment-building/
