Connecticut has plenty of safe and clean apartment complexes across the state. Yet, apartment accidents are possible, especially with a negligent landlord. Have you been in an apartment accident and looking to take legal action against your landlord? Our Premises Liability Attorneys in Bloomfield and Hartford Connecticut are here to guide you through the legal process.
What can cause an apartment accident?
There are various different hazards that could lead to an apartment accident. Some examples include:
- Unsafe stairwells
- Slippery floors without a “wet floor” sign
- Hazardous walkways
- Poor lighting
- Structural issues
- Defective smoke or carbon monoxide detectors
The most common apartment accident is a slip-and-fall accident from hazardous living conditions. Not every accident can qualify as a personal injury claim, but accidents that could have been prevented by an attentive landlord are often eligible for a liability claim.
What should I do after an apartment accident?
If you believe your landlord is liable for your apartment accident, you must gather a sufficient amount of evidence proving your landlord’s negligence. In law, negligence is the failure to use reasonable care to minimize the possibility of harm to others. To prove negligence, you must follow the steps of duty, breach, causation, and damage. This means first proving to the court that your landlord has a civil duty to maintain a safe living environment for their tenants and that they failed to perform this duty. This is only possible if your landlord was aware of the hazard that caused the accident or at least should have known about the hazard. Then you must show how the apartment hazard directly caused your accident and subsequent injury. There are various types of evidence that can prove these steps, like photos of the hazard, footage of the accident, witness statements, hospital records of your injury, and others.
What is Connecticut’s Statute of Limitations?
The statute of limitation determines the length of time you have to file a lawsuit after an incident. In this case, you must file a personal injury claim within two years of the date of your apartment accident. Attempting to file a case after that time frame would probably not be successful. If you’re looking for help in filing a claim against your landlord, the Law Offices of Marc N. Needelman are here for you. Contact us today for quality legal advice.
