Due to the high cost of purchasing a house, more and more Americans are turning to renting rather than buying a home. According to the American Community Survey put out by the United States Census Bureau, 36.5% of American households were renters in 2013. The national average rent was $905 in 2013. The Personal Injury Attorneys At Lundy Law examined renter statistics for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware and found the following: In Pennsylvania, 31.05 % of households were renters and the average rent was $828; in New Jersey, 35.95% of households were renters and the average rent was $1,171; and in Delaware, 28.32% of households were renters and the average rent was $999.
Even before signing your lease, it is critical for a renter to understand their rights and obligations of the landlord about safeguarding the inside of the apartment or house, including the common areas or outside areas, in order to prevent injuries from slip and fall situations. Prospective renters or those who have become injured should inspect the grounds of the house or apartment building or complex which may comprise of several amenities such as a mail area, laundry room, gym, swimming pool, tennis courts, playground, outside walkways or hallways, stairs, elevator, parking areas, including the interior of the dwelling for any hazardous conditions. If these areas look defective, it is possible the landlord may be violating local building codes.
In addition to purchasing renters insurance, renters should understand the concept of premises liability. In laymen’s terms this means the legal responsibility or accountability of the owner or operator of the land and building, which makes up the premises, for injuries taking place on the property due to accidents, such as slip and falls or crimes. Determining the legal responsibility or duty of care is the main question a renter should ask and whether it was satisfied. The landlord’s duty of care may vary from state to state. If the landlord deviates from the duty of care, such as failing to remove a hazardous condition in a timely manner after they were put on notice by the renter or should have known about a hazardous condition, they may be considered negligent and held liable for the renters’ injuries.
By the same measure, renters too have responsibilities they must abide by in order to prevent injuries, which also varies from state to state. Find out who is responsible for making the repairs, maintaining the outside hallways, stairs, parking lot, procedures for making repair requests and whether this is documented in the lease agreement. Putting a landlord on notice regarding a hazardous condition in the interior or exterior of the apartment or house is critical, especially if the landlord does nothing to correct the problem.
Lundy Law: Award Winning Slip and Fall Attorneys Assist Injured Renters
If you are a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident inside or outside your rented apartment or home due to the negligence of the landlord in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey please contact our Personal Injury Attorneys. As advocates of slip and fall victims we understand how debilitating an injury can be in the aftermath of an accident caused by landlord negligence. You may have mounting medical bills or miss work due to your injuries and may even be entitled to pain and suffering and much more. Please call Lundy law at 1 (800) LUNDYLAW® to discuss your options, whether the landlord was negligent, and what type of evidence you need to bring forth a claim.
