When you sign a lease for an apartment in Maryland, you entrust your landlord with a great deal of trust, since they are responsible for your safety. Landlords are required to uphold and maintain a safe property for their tenants. Unfortunately, apartment accidents are common due to negligence. If you are someone who has recently suffered an injury in your home because of unsafe apartment conditions, you should keep reading and contact a determined Prince George’s County Slip and Fall Lawyer who can help you understand your legal options.
When is my landlord responsible for my injury?
In the state of Maryland, landlords have a legal duty to maintain a safe environment for their tenants and guests. Essentially, this means they must attend to hazardous conditions promptly to prevent serious accidents and injuries. Establishing liability after an accident can be challenging. However, if your landlord knew or should have reasonably known about the dangerous apartment conditions, failed to remedy them promptly, and you were injured as a result, your landlord is responsible. They can be held liable as their negligent actions directly caused your injuries to occur and if they otherwise attended to the hazardous conditions the accident could have been avoided. Nevertheless, you will have to fulfill the burden of proof to receive monetary compensation for your economic and noneconomic damages. As a note, economic damages are calculable losses while noneconomic damages are subjective losses. Following an apartment accident, there are certain steps you should take to help you fulfill the burden of proof and maximize your chances of recovering compensation for your losses.
What steps should I take after an apartment accident?
Following an accident, you should seek immediate medical attention. Regardless of whether your injuries are minor or severe, they should be examined and treated by a medical professional. Once you have been treated, it is crucial to follow a treatment plan so that your landlord cannot use the defense that you contributed to the severity of your injuries by neglecting to follow doctor’s orders. To prove the extent and severity of your injuries, you should keep all medical bills and records. While at the scene of the accident, if possible, you should capture pictures of the unsafe property conditions that caused your injuries. Additionally, you should gather information from any witnesses that can corroborate your claim later on. You should alert your landlord to the incident. Further, it is in your best interest to hire an experienced Prince George’s County slip and fall lawyer who can help you collect pertinent evidence that helps you hold your landlord accountable for their negligent actions.
For more information on whether your landlord is responsible for an injury on their property, contact Timian & Fawcet, LLC today. Our firm will work tirelessly to help you prove your landlord’s negligence to achieve favorable results.
