While lawyers and judges are the ultimate legal experts, of course, I believe that every citizen should take the time to learn a little about law for several reasons. First, it is important to know your rights, and knowing them can come in handy if anyone ever accuses you of a crime you didn't commit or threatens you legally in another other way. Second, learning about your local, state, and federal laws can help you act as a better citizen. When election time comes around, you can then truly understand ever change in law being proposed by a candidate and whether it benefits society or not. I plan to share posts about law topics explained in plain English on my new blog, so you can come back often to sharpen your legal knowledge!
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Personal Injury Law: Navigating the Path to Compensation 7 February 2024
Everyone Should Learn a Little about Law
Landlord Liability For Tenant Injuries
Kaylee Wells
Landlords have certain responsibilities for their tenants. A landlord who shirks their responsibilities becomes responsible for the injuries or damages their negligence causes. Below are some examples of injuries for which landlords might be responsible.
Toxic Exposure
Landlords must keep their tenants safe from toxic substances or prevent their tenants' exposure to the substances. Consider lead, a toxic substance widely found in construction materials.
Since lead is poisonous, landlords must take relevant measures to prevent exposure to tenants. This is especially true if the landlord knows or has reason to suspect lead presence in your house. In such a case, your landlord may be liable if they don't inform you about the lead.
Fire or Smoke Injuries
Your landlord is not responsible for every fire that breaks out in your house. However, the landlord might be responsible for the ensuing damages if their actions or inactions trigger the fire. The landlord can also be liable for burns of smoke inhalation injuries if they don't have a smoke alarm in the building.
Injuries From Damaged Infrastructure
Landlords must maintain their properties to prevent injuries. Thus, your landlord might be liable for your injuries if you can tie them to the landlord's neglect. For example, your landlord might be liable for your injuries if:
- You slip and fall on a cracked pavement
- Your deck falls and causes you injuries
- You develop an infection in a poorly-maintained swimming pool
- You trip and all on a loose floorboard
In such cases, the landlord's liability will depend on whether they knew or should have known about the damage. The landlord is liable for your injury if they knew about the damage but didn't fix it in time. The same is true of injuries by malfunctioning equipment, such as defective heating systems.
Slip and Fall Injuries
In a multi-tenant property, the landlord is responsible for keeping the common areas safe. For example, the landlord must ensure that the common areas are free of snow or ice. Otherwise, the landlord becomes responsible for slip and fall injuries in those areas.
Injuries Due to Inadequate Security
Lastly, landlords should also provide adequate security measures. Security measures are particularly necessary for areas with high crime rates. The landlord must ensure that the gates and doors lock, the common areas have adequate lighting, and strangers don't have easy access to the property. Without such measures, the landlord becomes liable for criminal attacks.
The above are just a few examples — there are other injuries for which your landlord might be liable. Contact a personal injury attorney if you think you have a claim against your landlord.
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