Skip to main content Can I hold my landlord responsible for my slip and fall injury?
If you've been hurt in a slip and fall accident on property managed or owned by your landlord, you may be able to hold this landlord accountable for the injuries that you sustained by showing that they did know or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused your accident.
Landlords have a legal and ethical responsibility to uphold the premises that they lease and to keep the property up to a standard according to safety and health regulations. If your landlord was negligent in doing so and caused you injury, contact Morgan & Morgan for a free case evaluation to learn more about your options. We can help you recover the compensation you deserve to move on with your life after this unfortunate event.
What Is Common Law and How Does It Apply to Landlord Injuries for Slip and Falls?
Under common laws, you may not be able to sue a landlord for injuries on the lease premises, unless there is convincing and clear evidence showing that the slip and fall occurred as a result of dangerous conditions that the landlord knew about but did not fix in a reasonable amount of time. You may also be able to hold landlords accountable if the accident was associated with the landlord's failure to comply with health and safety standards.
What If I Slipped and Fell Inside a Rental Apartment or Home?
If you end up slipping and falling, you may want to figure out whether or not your landlord knew about or should have known about the situation that caused the ultimate fall. For example, if there was a broken floorboard in your property, you informed the landlord about it, nothing was done, and you ultimately fell and got hurt because of this floorboard, your landlord could be held negligent in court. However, the only way that you would be able to hold a landlord responsible if you did not tell them about the condition is if the property was in such poor condition overall that any reasonable landlord should have known that there was a risk of injury.
What About Exterior Property Areas or Common Areas?
Your landlord may own property such as the sidewalk going from the front door to the street, but whether or not a landlord has liability depends on your lease with the landlord. If your lease states that you are responsible for shoveling ice and snow since you're renting the house and the landlord doesn't live nearby, then the landlord will not be held responsible for any injuries. But if the lease explains that the landlord is responsible for shoveling the snow, then the landlord is responsible for your slip and fall, whether or not you tell them about the slip and fall. If you fall on a stairway inside your apartment building, what caused the fall may ultimately contribute to whether or not you can hold your landlord responsible.
For example, if a substance spilled on the floor and you slipped and got hurt on it, your landlord likely would not be held responsible as they could not be expected to clean up substances on the floor that they did not know were there. However, if the stairs were in some way defective, such as if the handrails were broken, or if the material on the stairs was falling apart or violating building code, that could make a strong case against the landlord.
How Can I Prove Liability Against My Landlord?
One of the most important things to do after a slip and fall injury is to engage the services of an experienced and qualified lawyer. Only a knowledgeable lawyer can help you with the process of filing compensation, and you may need an experienced attorney to help you navigate the legal process of recovery. It is your responsibility to show that the landlord is responsible for the injuries you sustain and the resulting accident. In any slip and fall case, especially those involving the landlord, you need to take pictures of your clothes, injuries, the accident scene, and hazards where applicable.
A picture can tell a lot about an overall condition and can help to make a strong case for you. Do not hesitate to begin to collect evidence as soon as possible after you have been hurt as this can have an important impact on the outcome of your case.
If you are already trying to figure out how to move on with your life after a slip and fall accident, the experienced lawyers at Morgan and Morgan are here to guide you through that process. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more.
