Who is responsible for your slip and fall at an apartment complex?

The law states that when you slip and fall on someone else’s property, the property owner or entity is the one responsible for the fall. Since that person or entity failed to keep the area safe for visitors, according to the premises liability law, they are the reason you had fallen. But what about an apartment complex? Who is responsible for the safety of its residents and any visitors?

For example, you are a paying a visit to a friend at his/her apartment complex. As you leave, you notice the weather had turned and that the parking lot has become very slippery after a storm earlier in the day. Despite moving cautiously, you slip on a patch of black ice, causing you to fall and break your leg. Who is responsible? Is it our friend or someone else?

Although the apartment complex is where your friend calls home, he/she is not responsible for your slip and fall accident. Like in a commercial property, the fault lies with the property owner or manager of the complex. It is the responsibility of the owner and the manager to keep the apartment complex free from danger. In the example above, the storm had happened earlier in the day. This should have given the manager plenty of time to clear up the parking lot. However, if the storm had just happened, the manager might not have known about the parking lot just yet. This can get trick for you to win this slip and fall case on your own. That’s when you an experienced slip and fall accident attorney to help you with your case.

But does your friend have any responsibility for the accident, since it is his/her place of residence? If he/she wasn’t the one who caused the slip and fall accident, such as push you down the stairs, then no, your friend is not to blame for the slip and fall accident. Unlike a private residence, where the resident owns the property, your friend is not the owner and therefore is not responsible for keeping the area free from danger. However, your friend may have been involved if she had witnessed your slip and fall accident. He/she could testify on your behalf if your case should go to court.

Are you a victim of a slip and fall accident? Contact Jersey City slip and fall attorney Anthony Carbone today. We’ll get you the justice that you deserve.