A landlord is not necessarily responsible for every injury that occurs on their property. However, if your landlord knows about a hazard on their property and does nothing to fix it, they could be held accountable. A Corpus Christi, Texas slip and fall lawyer can help you figure out if you have a case.
When Can I Sue a Landlord for an Injury?
If you want to sue your landlord for an injury sustained on the property, you need to show that they were aware of a potential safety hazard and did nothing to fix it. If they had simply addressed the problem when they were told about it, you never would have suffered an injury.
So if you trip over your own coffee table, you are not going to have much of a case against your landlord even though he owns the property. However, if you trip and injure yourself on a broken sidewalk that your landlord has neglected to repair, you may be able to sue for compensation.
What Should I Do After I Have Been Injured?
You need to think about your health and legal options here, so we recommend taking these steps after you have been injured:
Document everything: Take pictures of the area where the injury occurred. Keep any medical bills or other records of costs that can be associated with your injury. If you have correspondence with your landlord informing them of the hazard, hang onto it. Your lawyer would love to have that.
Get the medical care you need: Prioritize your health and make sure that you are getting all of the care you need for your injuries.
Avoid taking an initial settlement: You may be quickly offered a settlement by your landlord’s insurance company or by the landlord themselves. Do not take it without seriously thinking about the costs of the accident and what you and your family will need.
Consider hiring an attorney: A premises liability lawyer can help you pursue damages and hold a landlord accountable for their neglectful actions.
What Should My Compensation Cover?
Your compensation should adequately reimburse you for the pain and suffering you have experienced as well as the monetary costs associated with your injury. A fair offer would help make up for:
- The cost of past and future medical care
- Lost wages and earning potential
- Mental anguish
- Any other past and future pain and suffering
An initial settlement offer will rarely be enough to compensate you for what you have been through. This is when pursuing damages in a personal injury case can be the best option.
Contact a Premises Liability Lawyer
If you think that you suffered an injury due to the negligence or inaction of your landlord, contact Sahadi Legal Group. We can offer you a free case consultation and tell you more about your legal options.
