If you were injured on a staircase in a New York City building, please read the following:
Thousands of people trip, slip, or fall on stairs every year. These types of accidents are often preventable. When a person is injured on a flight of stairs, it is often due to building code violations. Or sometimes, there are other conditions beyond the individual’s control. Property owners are responsible for maintaining the stairwells and ensuring stairways and handrails comply with the New York Building Code. Staircase injuries in New York are a serious matter. Call us if you were injured in a staircase due to someone’s negligence.
Staircase Injuries in New York
The Building Code has specific stairway requirements for all types of structures. Specifically, the code encompasses many factors. These include width, capacity, handrails, guardrails, uniform riser height, minimum tread size, lighting, and specification for landings and doors. These requirements were established to ensure user safety. Not only must a landlord or building owner ensure their stairways comply with the Building Code. They are also responsible for performing necessary maintenance on damaged or defective stairways.
For a landlord or building owner to be legally responsible for the injuries you suffered from a stairway accident on their property, one of the following must be true:
- The owner of the premises or an employee caused the spill, worn or weak spot, or other dangerous surface or item to be underfoot.
- The owner of the premises or an employee knew of the dangerous surface but did nothing about it.
- The owner of the premises or an employee should have known of the dangerous surface because a “reasonable” person taking care of the property would have discovered and removed or repaired it.
It is also important to note that a court will consider whether your own carelessness contributed to the accident.
Call our Personal Injury Attorneys
If you suffered a serious injury because of a defective or dangerous stairway, the lawyers from Hach & Rose, LLP are here to help. Get a free case evaluation by calling us today. Find out if you can obtain monetary compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.