When a person signs a lease to rent an apartment, they’re putting a lot of trust in their landlord to uphold a certain duty of care to ensure the property is safe. Unfortunately, landlords may break that trust by failing to remedy hazardous conditions that could result in injury. Apartment accidents can happen unexpectedly due to negligence. Victims of apartment accidents may face significant physical and mental trauma that negatively affects their life. If you or someone you love has been injured in an apartment accident due to a landlord’s negligence, reach out to an experienced Prince George’s County Slip and Fall Attorneys who can help you recover reasonable damages.
What are the most common causes of an apartment accident?
There are several reasons apartment accidents can happen. If a landlord neglects to fix unsafe or harmful conditions on the premises, tenants and guests may suffer catastrophic injuries. Additionally, if a landlord fails to display proper warning signs indicating tenants and guests to avoid a dangerous area, serious accidents and injuries will result. The most common causes of apartment accidents are caused by:
- Unsafe staircases
- Broken handrails
- Torn or poorly placed carpets
- Uneven flooring
- Asbestos or mold
- Bed bugs
- Exposure to lead paint
- Broken elevator
- Inadequate lighting
- Defective or broke smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Unsafe apartment pools
Devastating injuries may occur if dangerous conditions are left unattended. Landlords have a responsibility to maintain a safe environment for their tenants and guests. If a landlord knew or should have reasonably known about a hazardous condition and failed to remedy it, they may be held civilly liable for economic and non-economic damages. Life-threatening and life-altering injuries could negatively affect a person’s life. Injured individuals may be slapped with expensive medical bills, lose their job, or lose their enjoyment of life because of their injuries. Landlords must maintain a safe climate to ensure safety is a priority and no accidents or injuries occur.
How long do I have to take legal action against a negligent party?
To pursue legal action against a negligent party, victims must file a claim within three years of the date the injury was inflicted. If victims fail to file a claim within this period, they will be barred from ever doing so and lose their chance of recovering financial compensation for damages. However, victims must fulfill the burden of proof, meaning they must prove that their landlord knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that directly caused a victim’s injuries. Victims can do so by gathering pertinent evidence such as security footage or relevant medical records. Victims should gather evidence by:
- Seeking medical attention and keeping medical records
- Filing an accident report with the police
- Taking photographs and video footage of the dangerous condition
- Asking anyone who witnessed the incident for their contact information so they can back up your claim
- Consulting an experienced Prince George’s County slip and fall attorney
If you have been injured in an apartment accident and wish to pursue legal action against a negligent landlord, reach out to one of our trusted and knowledgeable attorneys. Our firm is committed to helping our clients recover fair compensation for their losses.
