I am considering a claim for an accident in an apartment building but am unsure if I am entitled to claim compensation. The accident happened earlier in the week when I was visiting a friend. After leaving their apartment I went to walk down the stairs, placed my foot where the second step should be – but instead there was a missing board – and tumbled down the stairs, fracturing a bone in my foot.
Whether or not you are entitled to compensation depends on whose negligence led to your injury. It is imperative to be able to prove that someone other than you was at fault for your injuries in order to be awarded compensation. In your case, the negligent party is most likely to be the building’s landlord, who is responsible for maintain its safety and ensuring that all fixtures and fittings are up to code.
If as you said, there was a board missing from the staircase, this may mean that you have grounds on which to pursue a claim for an accident in an apartment building. If this claim is to be made against the building’s landlord, you will have to compile evidence which indicates that they failed in their duty of care toward the building, its inhabitants and its visitors.
A medical report provided by a doctor who treated your injury is a vital piece of evidence. In order to be able to obtain in you must have visited the hospital to have your injury treated – this should have been done as soon as the injury was sustained. If you have not already visited the hospital you should do so immediately, or alternatively, make an appointment to see your GP.
As the injury happened in a staircase, it is likely that others have encountered the same problem, or at least are aware of it. The names and contact details of these should be taken as soon; and it would be prudent to take statements from anyone who witnessed the accident if you have not already done so.
In order to find out more about the procedures involved in pursuing a claim for an accident in an apartment building, speak with a solicitor at the earliest possible opportunity.