Miami Rental Property Lawyer
Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring their rental properties are safe for tenants, and if a slip and fall occurs on the premises, they can be held financially liable for the injured tenant’s damages, including medical expenses, future medical costs, pain and suffering, and much more. If you tripped, slipped, and fell at home in your rental house or apartment, a Miami rental property lawyer at Spencer Morgan Law can help you take the next steps in filing a personal injury claim. Whether you sprained your ankle or suffered a serious traumatic brain injury, we will take on your case if your landlord failed to address a known hazard.
Property Owners Have a Duty to Maintain the Premises
While your duty as the tenant may be to clean the rental property from normal day to day use, the property owner or rental management company is almost always responsible for making larger repairs and keeping the rental in safe order and functioning condition. This means they are responsible for making repairs to cracked flooring or torn carpeting, placing outside handrails on stairways, pressure washing slick or dirty driveways and walkways, installing proper lighting, and much more.
The Property Owner Must be Given Notice
If a tenant notices that the wooden steps up to the backdoor of the house are missing a board or a board is about to snap in half, they cannot assume the owner knows this. They must give notice, and allow a reasonable amount of time for repairs to be made. Knowledge of a hazard is a key element in a slip and fall claim. However, there are cases where the owner should have had knowledge of the hazard, even if a tenant did not specifically tell them about it. For example, if the landlord/property owner came to the house somewhat frequently and the damaged wooden steps were not at the back, but at the front door, the landlord should have knowledge about the damaged steps because they used them to enter and exit the house.
Examples of Hazards in a Rental Property
- Ripped carpeting
- Damaged flooring
- Worn out or slippery flooring
- Flood damage
- Damaged steps
- Damaged stairs
- No handrail
- Poor lighting inside or outside
- Overly steep ramp (ramp is not to code)
- Strewn about construction equipment or extension cords
Contact a Miami Rental Property Lawyer
If your landlord failed to take action regarding a dangerous flooring or walking surface condition at your home, and you fell or a family member fell as a result, you have the right to seek compensation from the property owner. Furthermore, you have the right to file a personal injury claim without fear of being evicted or charged additional rental fees. Do not let your landlord intimidate you, or tell you that the fall was your own fault. For legal representation, do not wait to get in contact with the Miami rental property lawyer at Spencer Morgan Law today at 305-423-3800 to schedule a free consultation.