Being a victim of a slip and fall accident at an apartment complex isn’t exactly fun, but it makes matters even more complicated when you have no idea who can be held responsible for your injury.
Luckily, you have our Los Angeles premises liability attorney from Compass Law Group, P.C., to explain who can be held liable for your slip and fall injuries at an apartment complex.
If you sustained an injury in a slip and fall or other premises liability accident in an apartment building, inside or outside your apartment, the cost of medical treatment can skyrocket in the matter of weeks or months due to medical bills, loss of income, and other losses and damages. Therefore, you have no time to waste, and need to seek compensation for your medical expenses and other damages after the slip and fall accident.
But can a landlord, property owner or some other party be held liable for your slip and fall injury at an apartment complex? “Absolutely,” says our premises liability attorney in Los Angeles. Depending on the nature of your injury and the circumstances of your particular case, you may be able to file a premises liability claim against:
- The landlord;
- Property owner;
- Apartment building manager;
- Parties responsible for apartment maintenance and cleaning;
- Other tenants at that apartment complex;
- Or other parties.
Liability of the landlord and property owner in a slip and fall accident at an apartment complex
More often than not, when a tenant sustains a slip and fall injury at an apartment complex, he or she can sue the landlord or property owner. That’s because under California premises liability law, landlords and property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition and eliminate hazards upon notice.
If a landlord or property owner fails to eliminate a hazardous condition within a reasonable amount of time, knows or should have known about the dangerous condition but fails to address it, or fails to post warnings about that condition, that landlord or property owner may be held liable for any resulting injuries and damages.
In addition to that, a landlord or property owner can be held liable for violations of building codes when these violations cause an injury. The landlord or property owner of an apartment complex as well as other parties (such as apartment complex managers) have a duty to ensure that their apartment units are tenable and properly maintained. “This includes proper design and maintenance of stairways, floors, railings, walkways, handrails, bathrooms, carpets, lighting, and many more,” explains our Los Angeles premises liability lawyer.
Filing a premises liability claim after an injury at an apartment complex
If you can prove that the landlord or property owner was aware of the dangerous condition that caused your slip and fall injury and that condition was not corrected or fixed within a reasonable amount of time, you may be entitled to seek compensation by filing a premises liability claim against the liable party(s).
Even if all of the above can be proven, the landlord or property owner may argue that your own negligence caused or contributed to the slip and fall accident and that you should be held partially or entirely liable for your damages. That’s where you should not hesitate to contact an experienced premises liability lawyer in Los Angeles or elsewhere in California.
If you have been injured due to cracked or uneven sidewalks or walkways, inadequate lighting, broken or non-existent handrails, damaged stairways, inadequately designed bathrooms, or worn carpet at an apartment complex, seek a free consultation from our attorneys at Compass Law Group, P.C.
