When anyone rents or visits a New York apartment, the property owner or the landlord has the responsibility to make certain that the apartment itself as well as the whole complex is maintained in a safe and proper condition. Whenever this is not the case, accidents can happen, followed closely by injuries.
Any accidents caused by a dangerous or defective property, whether inside or outside an apartment are termed premises liability accidents. Such accidents can also occur in commercial buildings, such as offices or stores, residences whether rentals or private homes.
What causes Apartment Accidents
The premises of an apartment can become dangerous due to several reasons such as faulty design, defective building materials, shoddy construction, dangerous clutter, or poor maintenance. These premises can result in slipping, tripping, falling, or something hitting or falling on you. These are some of the more common causes:
- Broken stairs
- Walkways poorly maintained
- Collapsing balconies
- Floods or water damage
- Electrical work maintained poorly
- Insufficient lighting
- Unsound air-conditioning units
- Negligent security
If a hazardous apartment condition results in someone being injured, who can be held legally responsible? Here are two rules to enable you to determine who is liable for premises liability accidents.
- The Owner is Responsible for Maintaining the Apartment Safe
The occupier or owner of the apartment has a legal obligation to any person who steps into the apartment premises whether as a tenant, shopper, or a business or personal visitor. In short, the owner has no right to subject a person to an unwarranted risk of injury due to the design, building, or state of the apartment. This simply means that the owner is responsible for the safety of the apartment premises, while the visitor is not.
- The Visitor should Use the Apartment Normally
The second rule of the premises liability accidents pertains to the behavior of the injured individual. If an individual is injured by behaving in an unauthorized, unexpected, or riskily careless manner, the occupier or owner of the apartment is not held responsible.
Under the above circumstances, if you got injured at the premises of a condominium complex, you have every right to file a premises liability claim against the responsible people, for monetary compensation. The money will enable you to cover all your medical costs, any lost wages as also the pain and suffering involved.
Handling Premises Liability Accidents
The injuries caused by such accidents can impact on a person in a variety of ways. A golden and dedicated apartment accident lawyer will ensure that the injured party receives proper attention as well as medical care that are necessary for you to get well. A splendid lawyer examines the available evidence, goes out to interview witnesses, and prepare a strong case on behalf of his/her client.
In fact, this is a highly complicated legal process that consists of negotiating with insurance companies and if it doesn’t succeed, taking them to court to redress your claims. So, it is imperative that you hire an apartment accidents lawyer, who is highly experienced in the field of apartment accident cases, so that he/she can bring your case to a successful conclusion.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a New York apartment accident don’t hesitate to call 212-344-1000 and speak to an hard working and proven apartment accident lawyer from the office of Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff (RMFW). Our attorneys have helped many clients win substantial compensation and so can you.
Take advantage of a free consultation during which our expert lawyers will determine how much compensation you can truly win. Get in touch with us, RMFW, at any of our law offices located in Astoria, Queens, New York City and Brooklyn, and we will be happy to help you in collecting evidence before it disappears or rendered useless.
