Landlords and tenants both hold certain responsibilities for maintaining safe properties. When accidents happen on rental properties, whether you are the renter or a guest on the premises, you may wonder who is liable for the accident causing your injuries.
To ensure you file appropriately and collect the settlement you deserve, partner with a Florida premises liability lawyer from Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath following an accident on a rental property. Your attorney will review your case to identify and file against the negligent party so you can receive fair compensation for your losses.
What responsibilities do landlords have for injuries on rental property?
If you live in a rented apartment or house, under Florida Statute 83.51, your landlord is responsible for renting you a place free of known hazards. For example, they must ensure the elevators work, the stairwells are well-lit, and the door and window locks are in working order. If there are hazards that need attention, the landlord must inform you of them before you sign a rental agreement.
Landlords may not be responsible for accidents caused by hazards that arise after you enter the agreement unless you inform them of the hazard, it falls under their legal obligation, and they had time to fix it before the accident occurred. However, they are responsible for maintaining the non-private parts of the building, such as an apartment-building stairwell.
Before pursuing a claim, connect with a premises liability lawyer from Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath. Your attorney will consider the elements of your accident along with the rental agreement and hold your landlord liable if they fail to uphold their legal obligations under Florida’s premises liability laws.
What if I sustain an injury on someone else’s rental property?
You may sustain an injury on a rented property, perhaps as a client entering a business on property rented by the business owner. Under Florida’s law, tenants, or in this case, the business owner, must keep the rented environment safe from preventable falls or other accidents.
For example, if a convenience store owner rents the store space, that owner must keep aisles free of clutter that could cause trips and for drying or putting up warning signs around wet floors that could cause falls.
If the accident’s cause is something beyond the tenant’s control, then the landlord may hold culpability. You can expect both the tenant and the landlord to blame the other for the accident, as neither party will want to accept responsibility.
How can I secure compensation for a personal injury on a rental property?
For the best outcome to your premises liability case, put your case in the capable hands of a premises liability attorney in Florida. Your lawyer will carry out a thorough review of the incident and all relevant laws and agreements to determine the at-fault party. Then, your attorney will compile evidence to prove the at-fault party’s negligence caused your accident and the injuries that followed.
Next, your attorney will calculate the value of your losses, which may include medical costs, income lost during recovery time, future lost earnings if you cannot work again, and financial acknowledgment of your pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life.
Finally, your attorney will handle all communication and negotiation with the at-fault party’s insurance representatives so you do not have to navigate their back-and-forth arguments, finger-pointing, or other attempts at deflecting fault.
Our team is here for you
When you are injured by a hazard on someone else’s property, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Our team of Florida premises liability attorneys is here to help you get the settlement you deserve. To schedule a free consultation, call (561) 655-1990 or send us an electronic message. We look forward to fighting for you.
