Negligent Landlords
We’ve all experienced problems with landlords in the past. The toilet in your rental won’t stop running or the basement is flooding even in the lightest of rain, and you’re landlord won’t fix it. Many of these problems are minor and annoying, but sometimes a landlord’s neglect can be dangerous or fatal. When it is, you may have an actionable case against your landlord for compensation.
Generally speaking, when you rent an apartment, it is essentially your place and you are responsible for any problems in your own apartment. However, some problems are your landlord’s responsibility and if he or she doesn’t fix them, and as a result you or someone else gets hurt, your landlord can be responsible for the harm.
One example is when there is a problem with a common area of an apartment complex. Although you may be responsible for your own apartment, your landlord is responsible for the stairwell, hallway, or parking lot of your apartment complex. If those items are in disrepair, and someone gets hurt because of it, your landlord is responsible.
Another example is when your landlord retains control of certain things in your apartment. Many leases will prohibit a tenant from making major repairs or improvements and place responsibility for those items solely on the landlord. Sewer repairs are often one of those things. But it means that if some gets hurt because of a sewer backup in your apartment, then your landlord will be responsible for the harm.
There are many other examples of dangers for which a landlord is responsible. If you have been hurt because of a negligent landlord, please contact our office to see if your landlord is responsible for the harm.