Q: I informed my landlord about a crack in the steps leading up to my unit but he never did anything about it. I
subsequently tripped and broke my wrist. Is he liable for my medical bills?
A: Probably not. Since you had notified your landlord, that shows that you were aware that the crack was there prior to your fall. Being aware of a dangerous condition and choosing to use that route anyway, MAY be considered to be negligent on your part. While this does not diminish your landlord's negligence at all, the law in Virginia essentially says that if you share any of the negligence in an accident, even as little as 1%, you are barred from a recovery. Since these steps led to your unit, you probably did not have another route to take, but you were clearly on notice of the dangerous condition prior to the fall. Of course each case must be examined on its own merits so I recommend you discuss the case with a personal injury attorney near you to be sure.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
