Slip & Fall: Is a Landlord Liable?
When you slip and fall in your own home, that’s on you. But if you slip and fall in a rented apartment or somewhere in the apartment building or complex do you have a case against your landlord? Such cases are challenging to resolve but in certain circumstances can be successful, as highlighted in a recent article.
A landlord is responsible for maintaining the apartments and common areas in a building. This responsibility is known legally as the “duty of care.” In fulfilling the duty of care, the landlord performs regular maintenance. Tenants have a responsibility, too: reporting hazards and submitting maintenance requests as warranted.
In a court of law, tenants would need to prove that a landlord knowingly demonstrated negligence which directly caused an injury. However, if a hazard was known to tenants but not reported to the landlord, that could weaken a case. Conversely, a stack of unfulfilled maintenance requests on hazards or safety issues could, indeed, help prove a case.
An experienced premises liability attorney in Philadelphia can offer some insight as to the specifics and strength of a particular case. Please contact us to discuss the details of the incident.