INJURY AT APARTMENT IS LANDLORD RESPONSIBLE? – MINNESOTA LAWYERS
Our MN personal injury attorneys frequently get calls from a renter who has been injured at their apartment building. The question is whether the building owner is responsible or if the renter can sue the landlord. Our accident lawyers handle cases against landlords of apartment buildings in Minnesota where someone slips and falls. The tenant may fall in the parking lot, on the sidewalk, or other common area property. However, our attorneys also handle other types of accident cases that happen at an apartment building.
One particularly unfortunate type of incident that can occur at an apartment building is where the tenant is attacked by another tenant or someone who broke into the building. Unfortunately, those are particularly difficult cases to hold the landlord responsible. Our top accident injury lawyers in MN have also been called on cases where there was an electrical problem that caused a renter to be electrocuted. Sometimes water gets into an apartment and causes a tenant to slip in the entryway coming into the apartment. Our attorneys have also had cases where an apartment balcony collapsed while someone was on it. In one case, a railing broke while a little girl was leaning against it. The list goes on.
The first thing to keep in mind is that in Minnesota, the apartment landlord has more responsibility and liability for accident injuries that occur in common areas. Accidents inside the apartment itself can be more difficult. Many of our cases involve an injury in the apartment parking lot or sidewalk. Also cases where someone falls down the apartment stairwell or other common area. However, accidents inside the apartment can be successful where there is a hidden defect. For example, if a loose cabinet door falls off and hits the tenant, or electrical cases.
INJURY CASE AGAINST LANDLORD MN
If you are injured inside your apartment, the apartment owner is generally only responsible if there was a hidden dangerous condition in your apartment that the landlord was aware (or should have been aware) but the tenant was not. In addition, the landlord is responsible if they negligently repaired or maintained the apartment, or something from outside the apartment that the landlord had control over caused the accident.
Cases where someone is injured in their apartment require our accident injury lawyer to conduct a careful evaluation of the facts. This often includes investigation by an outside agency, building contractor, or investigator.
For example, when our injury attorney worked on the case of the deck collapse at the apartment building, we had to get a contractor to evaluate the deck. Our investigator determined that the wood had been rotting for a long time and the apartment building owner should have discovered it long ago. Similarly in an electrical case, our injury lawyer would need a city inspector and an electrical contractor to evaluate the cause of the electrical failure.
COMMON AREA OR APARTMENT PARKING LOT
When a tenant is injured in a common area of the apartment building, the building owner or manager has a greater level of responsibility to be sued. In general, an apartment landlord has the same responsibility to take care of the parking lot and sidewalks as any other business owner. The same is true for injuries that occur in the entry area of the apartment building, the stairway, the hallways, etc.
Our top injury lawyers have represented several people in Minnesota who fell down the stairwell at their apartment building because there was tacking left in newly laid carpeting. Also, cases where the stairway was wet because of a leaky ceiling, or the railing gave out. There have also been cases where the tenant was burned in a fire in the building, etc. The landlord canoften be held responsible in those situations.
To have the best chance of recovery, you should try to get photographs of the area where you were injured as soon as possible. You should also get the names and contact information of any witnesses. It is particularly helpful to our MN personal injury lawyers if we can find other apartment tenants who have had problems in the same area. Also, if other tenants have previously notified the landlord of the problem, e.g. poorly maintained parking lot.
APARTMENT VISITOR INJURED
A building owner is responsible for an injury to the guest or visitor of the renter. The level of responsibility the apartment landlord has to the guest or visitor is the same as to the tenant.
However, if the accident occurs inside the apartment, the renter could also be responsible to the injured guest or visitor. This is a good reason why apartment renters should have renters’ insurance. Renters’ insurance will cover your possessions if they are stolen or damaged by fire in your apartment. In addition, renters’ insurance will pay for injuries to guests or visitors to your apartment if you are partially at fault for the accident.
LAWYERS TO SUE APARTMENT OWNER FOR ACCIDENT INJURY
If you sustain a personal injury at an apartment building and want to sue the owner or landlord, please call us and speak with a lawyerfor a free consultation. Pam Rochlin and David Rochlin are Minnesota personal injury lawyers with more than 25 years of experience. We have successfully handled hundreds of personal injury cases in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and throughout the state. An injury attorney will discuss your case with you and explain your rights. We are also happy to meet with you at our office or your home.
Our best personal injury lawyers will meet with you at our offices in Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Woodbury, and Edina. Our attorneys also frequently meet with a renter to discuss their apartment building injury cases at their homes in St. Paul MN, Chanhassen, Chaska, Eden Prairie, and Maple Grove. We also come to Rogers, Brooklyn Park, Bloomington, Richfield, Apple Valley, Roseville, Maplewood, and other surrounding cities in Minnesota. Our primary focus is to make sure your medical bills are paid, lost wages reimbursed, and that you receive complete compensation for your injuries. There is no obligation on your part, and we never charge anything unless you are compensated for your injuries.