People use stairs every day without consideration of being involved in an accident when doing so. However, staircase accidents can happen very suddenly and cause serious harm to those who are involved. This can be not only physically, but emotionally and financially as well. It is because of this that victims often wish to recover compensation if the accident was due to negligence. During this time, it is important to retain the services of an experienced Connecticut personal injury attorney for assistance with your case.
Causes of Staircase Accidents
Accidents that occur in a staircase can often be the result of an individual’s own carelessness. This tends to be seen if they are in a rush and not using caution. However, accidents also occur due to the negligence of a property owner. If the property owner does not take care of the stairs, certain hazards can arise that pose a threat to those using them. This can include insufficient lighting, broken handrails, damaged steps, and more.
Recovering Financial Compensation After a Staircase Accident
When a person is injured in a staircase accident due to negligence, they may wish to hold the negligent party liable for their suffering. This can be accomplished through a personal injury lawsuit. During this time, the injured party is required to prove negligence by showing that the property owner knew, or should have reasonably known about the hazard that caused the accident and failed to fix it. In addition to this, they must show that this behavior directly caused their injuries. This can be done with evidence such as pictures or videos of the hazard, the police report of the incident, medical documentation of the injuries, and any witness statements.
How Long Do I Have to Take Legal Action?
It is important to know that, when pursuing legal action, the injured party has a limited amount of time to do so. This is because a statute of limitations exists. This is a deadline that the injured party is required to meet if they wish to file a personal injury claim. If they fail to do so, the individual may lose their chance to pursue legal action and not recover financial compensation as a result. In the state of Connecticut, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of sustaining or discovering the injury.
Contact our Firm
Marc N. Needelman is an experienced attorney working throughout the state of Connecticut. If you need an attorney who is ready to fight for the financial compensation you deserve, please do not hesitate to contact us to set up a free initial consultation. Our firm deals with matters relating to real estate, personal injury, criminal defense, estate planning, and more.