Posted: October 28, 2021
You should be able to trust your landlord to keep your rental property in a safe condition. Unfortunately, that trust is often broken, and serious slip and fall accidents can result.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents at Rental Properties
Most rental buildings will fall into disrepair if they are not properly maintained. That is why it is the responsibility of landlords to ensure that no dangerous conditions exist within their rentals.
Landlords are required to keep their rental properties up to code. If a tenant reports a hazardous condition, the landlord must repair it in a reasonable amount of time or face legal liability. The same goes for dangerous conditions that the landlord should have reasonably known about.
Here are a few examples of hazardous conditions that can be created by landlord negligence:
Broken stairs: Stairs that are worn down, cracked, or loose can cause injuries. As can broken and missing handrails. Landlords are typically responsible for stairway upkeep.
- Dangerous flooring: A crack or hole in laminate, a tear in carpeting, and other problems with flooring can easily pose a tripping hazard and lead to accidents. It is often the duty of the landlord to ensure that these issues get fixed. However, a landlord may postpone this critical maintenance work because it comes with a high price tag.
- Snow and ice: Some lease documents indicate that the landlord will take care of snow and ice removal in parking lots and sidewalks. If a landlord fails to maintain these walkways in the winter and a tenant falls, the landlord could be held liable for damages.
- Inadequate lighting: Without proper lighting, tenants cannot see inside their rental units or common areas well enough to avoid a slip, trip, or fall accident. Sometimes a landlord will refuse to install a light fixture in a certain area. Other times, a landlord will allow a light bulb to burn out without replacing it. In either case, the landlord may be liable.
- Water leaks: Puddles are well-known slipping hazards. And they do not always form because someone just mopped the floor. At rental properties, water can sometimes accumulate on the ground due to leaks in pipes and faulty plumbing.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation
Are you a tenant who was seriously hurt in a slip and fall accident caused by a dangerous condition at the property you are renting? You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Schedule a free case evaluation at 212-406-9288 to learn about your potential legal options. The Law Offices of Reid B. Wissner serves Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx.
