Apartment Building Premises Liability Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

Fighting Against Apartment Landlord Negligence Throughout LA County

There’s lots of rental property throughout Los Angeles, and renters rely on their landlords to take reasonable steps to ensure the property is safe. When the owner of a property fails to do so, renters can be seriously injured. Under California law, if a landlord acts in a negligent way, they can be held liable for injuries or property damage to the renters. Filing a lawsuit is no small task, however, which is why you should have an experienced LA personal injury lawyer to represent you.

Premises liability covers injuries that occur on someone else’s property. This is a wide-reaching field of law that requires a great deal of knowledge to fully understand. Do not try to handle this type of lawsuit yourself. If you have been injured on someone else’s property, call NOVIK LAW GROUP, A Professional Corporation, at (818) 305-6041 right now to discuss your case.

Apartment Premises Liability

When injuries occur in an apartment complex, it can be difficult to determine who acted in a negligent way and where liability ultimately falls. Some common apartment injury cases include:

• Slips and falls: Slips, trips, and falls seriously injure thousands of people each year. A renter who slips on stairs that are not properly maintained, stairs that are broken, or stairs that are unlit may have a claim against the property owner.
• Dog attacks: In a dog bite claim, liability almost always falls on the owner of the dog. However, if the property owners did not enforce rules or deal with a known dangerous animal, they may be responsible as well.
• Theft: Basic security is the responsibility of a property owner. That means that doors and windows must be fitted with adequate locking mechanisms to protect the property of an apartment renter.
• Violent crime: A property owner might also be liable for violent crimes that occur at an apartment complex. If the owner of the property knows there is high risk, but fails to take reasonable steps to try to prevent crime, a renter or visitor who is attacked might have a claim against that landlord. This can be incredibly difficult to prove, which is why an experienced attorney is so important.
• Swimming pool accidents: Swimming pool are popular in sunny LA, but property owners must meet legal requirements to keep renters safe around the pool. This includes fences of sufficient height and gates with locks that keep children out and prevent drowning accidents.

Proving Negligence

In apartment injury cases, proving negligence can be difficult, but there are certain things renters can do to help. It is vital that any unsafe conditions be reported to the landlord immediately, and the report be documented in some way. Landlords are not expected to know everything, and may not be considered negligent if they fail to fix a problem that a routine inspection wouldn’t have brought to their attention.

On the other hand, if you have a copy of an email notifying the property owner about a dark stairway with stairs that are crumbling apart, and someone falls down those stairs a month later, then you have a way to prove the landlord knew about the problem and did not act in a reasonable way to correct it. This kind of documentation can help win a premises liability lawsuit.

I Was Injured In My Apartment: Whose Fault is it?

If you were injured in an apartment or rental home, you should call our office to have one of our professional personal injury attorneys determine who is at fault. Your landlord can be held liable for poorly maintained units or building code violations.

Were you hurt on the premises?

• Do you have to walk through a dimly lit common area or an uneven driveway to exit your unit? A leaky roof that caused the ceiling to cave in on you in your sleep? As long as the incident occurred within the property line your landlord may be responsible for damages. Any serious injury caused by unsafe tenant conditions should be consulted with an attorney after you’ve seen a medical doctor.

Take Photographs

• Documentation of the injury and what caused it is crucial for evidence. Proving that your landlord knew about or should have knowledge of a dangerous condition is difficult without photos from the days immediately after the incident. Screen-grabs of communication or copies of letters sent to your landlord previously mentioning any concerns or simply reporting the accident will help. Ripped articles of clothing or damaged footwear should be kept as additional evidence. Photographs of cuts, wounds, or bruising will be useful in creating a strong case.

After an apartment premises accident, reach out to an experienced Los Angeles attorney as soon as possible. The seasoned legal team at Novik Law Group, A Professional Law Corporation, can provide you with the representation you need to get the compensation you deserve. Dial (888) 355-5552 for a free consultation.

Call Us Today!

As an apartment renter, you have the right to expect your home to be safe and secure. If your landlord failed to uphold a legal standard of care and you were injured, call an experienced LA premises liability lawyer at NOVIK LAW GROUP at (818) 305-6041. Your consultation is free, and if you are too injured to come to us, we’ll come to you.