When you find the perfect place to call home after months of searching, an apartment accident can flip your life upside down. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence that many will suffer due to the negligence of the landlords responsible for maintaining and upkeeping the property. As you deserve to feel safe in your own home, ensuring you can hold the careless party responsible is essential. Keep reading to learn more about these injuries and how a Manhattan slip and fall lawyer can help you receive the justice you deserve.
How Does an Apartment Accident Happen?
Unfortunately, there are a number of ways in which someone can suffer the impact of an injury sustained in an apartment building. Generally, the most common injuries occur due to unsafe stairwells, parking lot hazards, and issues with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
It’s important to note that apartment buildings have strict standards for adhering to regulations and maintaining safety in stairwells. This is because risers, treads, and handrails all impact the safety of a stairwell. For example, if a tread, which is the part of the stair you step on, becomes loose, it is likely that someone may slip and fall as a result. Similarly, if a handrail is left broken, someone may fall down the stairs because they do not have the railing to balance themselves.
When there are hazards such as broken asphalt leaving cracks and holes in the parking lot of the apartment complex, tenants may trip and fall when walking to or from the building. Unfortunately, this can cause serious injuries.
Finally, it is imperative for the health and safety of those in the building that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are up to standard and maintained properly. Like stairwells, there are regulations for these detectors indicating where they can be installed in an apartment and how often the batteries must be changed. Failure to ensure these devices are installed and working can be fatal.
When Are Landlords Liable for Injuries?
When your landlord has failed to keep the apartment unit or complex safe, they will likely be liable for injuries you incur. This is because they have likely breached their duties, which include providing habitable housing safety from toxins, security, and safe common areas.
If there is a defect or hazard in the hallway, common room, laundry room, or any other common areas, they must remedy the risk within a certain time frame. Failure to do so can leave them responsible for the damages of a tenant who suffers an injury.
CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED NEW YORK CITY FIRM
Our entire legal team is dedicated to providing the advice you need and the personalized attention you deserve. If you have been injured due to another party’s negligence, call (212) 421-0300 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a New York City personal injury lawyer. You may be entitled to financial compensation, which can help you on your road to recovery.
