Stairwell Slip and Fall Injury Lawsuit Attorney

Water leaks are a common occurrence in stairwells and staircases, especially concrete stairs that you typically find in buildings and basements. You may also come across water seeping through staircases in people’s homes or from in between steps in an apartment / condo building.

Water from leaking pipes is the main source of puddles and leakage in stairwells. This is particularly dangerous in places with dim lighting, but even in stairwells with bright lighting, it’s hard to see a clear substance on a step or on the landing. Alternatively, you may be carrying something, like a box or shopping bag, which prevents you from seeing a spill that’s in front of you.

Sometimes, the accident is made worse by the fact that the handrails are broken or improperly designed. As a result, the victim has no opportunity to grab onto the handrail and try to stop themselves from falling. Even with properly functioning handrails, it’s likely that the person will suffer some kind of injury when their balance is thrown off and they are projected forward, backwards, or to the side. Injuries caused by a slip and fall in a stairwell include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Broken bones
• Dislocated joints
• Ligament and muscle tears
• Wrist and ankle sprains
• Hip fracture
• Ruptured spleen
• Excessive bleeding from cuts and other wounds
• Lost or broken teeth
• Dislocated jaw
• Broken tailbone
• Neck injury
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis

Shoddy construction methods and cost cutting can result in stairs that are improperly designed or installed, which is another reason that people can fall down in a stairwell. For example, the stairs may be too narrow (less than 36 inches) or too steep (steps set an angle over 42 degrees). The landing between the stairs must be of adequate width as well and be free of dangerous conditions like standing water, debris, and residue from cleaning fluids. Other defects that are indicators of unsafe stairs include:

• Stair riser heights of over 7 inches
• Worn stair treads or ones that are uneven or not deep enough
• Lack of nosing or anti-slip strips on the horizontal edge of the stair
• Open risers that allow objects / substances to fall through

While the installation company is generally at fault, you likely have a case against the owner as well. After all, they are the ones in charge of what goes on in the property, and if a staircase is improperly designed, they have a duty to rectify the issue. Another possibility is that the original builder did what they were supposed to do, but the owner failed to maintain the stairs. For example, anti-slip strips and treads should be replaced over time, and this is up to whoever owns the property.

As we mentioned before, there may be a property management or leasing company that’s actually in charge of maintenance and repairs. So, it may be the case that liability is split between the owner and the management firm, though you will need to determine what percentage of liability is assigned to each party.

Though suing for a slip and fall can be very complicated, please know that our legal team is with you every step of the way. We have been representing slip and fall injury victims for several decades and have what it takes to bring you the highest possible settlement.

For the vast majority of our clients, settlements for a slip and fall are usually between $125,000 and $2,500,000. Because of the potential for multiple, serious injuries when you fall down a stairwell, we would say these cases are worth $75,000 to $100,000 on the lower end. On the other end of the spectrum, you will find compensation awards of $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 for clients that end up with brain damage, loss of function, and other disabling conditions. Considering how different one case value is from another, you should never rely on estimates to figure out how much you can receive from a fall injury lawsuit. Instead, schedule a free case review with a lawyer who can sue for slip and fall accidents in stairwells.

If you slipped and fell down in a residential property, you can probably settle your case in 4 to 8 months with representation from a seasoned slip and fall attorney. If your accident occurred on a commercial property, the timeline may be 10 to 24 months, depending on the severity of injuries, the amount of payment you are seeking, and if the other side is willing to negotiate in good faith. The majority of our claims are settled within 12 months, and some cases are resolved in a matter of weeks. But cases of serious to severe injuries from a slip and fall can take 18 months or longer to settle. In some cases, asking for a trial date is the only way to obtain a fair amount compensation for the victim. However, it’s worth noting that very few cases are tried in court, so this is not an issue most people have to worry about.

To obtain monetary compensation for slip and fall injuries, you must file a lawsuit within 2 years of when the accident occurred. After this time period, your right to sue is invalidated, meaning the property owner is off the hook for your accident. There are a few circumstances where the courts will grant additional time to file a lawsuit, but as a general rule, the deadline for a slip and fall accident case is 2 years. To get started on a fall accident injury claim with one of our attorneys, contact us today.

Those who have been injured by dangerous conditions on someone else’s property have the right to monetary damages from the owner of the premises. But many people who try to navigate the claims process on their own end up with reduced settlements or denied claims. To avoid this outcome, please take a moment to contact our law firm.

A free consultation with a slip and fall lawyer will help you decide if we are the right law firm to represent you. If so, we will represent you completely free of charge and ask for legal fees to be paid by the party you are suing. The only time we get paid is at the end of your case, when you receive your settlement check. Otherwise, we have a Zero Fee Guarantee policy, so you will be charged $0 if we don’t win your case.

For a free case evaluation on your rights and legal options, reach out to us at your earliest convenience.

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