If you rent out an apartment, you expect everything will be in working condition, and if something goes wrong, it is your landlord’s duty to investigate and fix the problem as soon as possible. Fortunately for tenants all over New York City, most landlords are responsible, efficient property owners who care about their tenants. However, sometimes landlords are negligent, which, unsurprisingly, can lead to serious accidents. If you were injured in an apartment accident for something you believe your landlord should be held responsible for, you are most likely looking into recovering financial compensation. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some of the questions you may have:
What are some of the most common causes of New York apartment accidents?
Apartment accidents happen throughout the City, and when they do, people are often seriously injured. Some of the most common contributing factors and causes of apartment accidents are as follows:
Unstable balconies: When a balcony or deck is not properly secured or grounded, there is a chance it may break or come toppling over, generally causing serious injuries.
Snow and ice: Landlords will very often cause serious slip-and-fall accidents when they neglect to clear off snow and ice hazards within a legally acceptable period of time.
Inadequate lighting: Apartment parking lots and walkways should always be properly lit to help tenants see any uneven pavement, potholes, or other potential safety hazards.
Broken locks: If you were injured because you were deprived of a safe and private home, you are most likely entitled to compensation. Nobody deserves to be assaulted or robbed because their landlord failed to provide a working lock and other essential means of safety.
Broken smoke alarms: If you told your landlord your smoke alarm was broken, he or she failed to fix it, and you were injured in a fire or by carbon monoxide as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.
How may I recover financial compensation following a New York apartment accident?
To recover financial compensation following a New York apartment accident, you must first prove you were injured due to another party’s negligence. However, this is not always easy, as you will have to prove that your landlord either knew, or should have reasonably known that there was a safety hazard and neglected to investigate and fix it, and you were injured as a result. To do so, you and your attorney must recover any security camera footage, prove the landlord was notified and did nothing in response, provide pictures of the safety hazard, medical documents regarding the extent of your injuries, witness statements, and more. An attorney will have you present the most convincing case possible to help ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve and need for a smooth road to recovery.
Contact our New York City firm
The Law Offices of Laurence C. Tarowsky is proud to serve clients in New York City and the surrounding areas after they have been injured by someone else’s negligence. For a consultation, contact our office today.