Slip & Fall Cases Involving Tenants

Contact a Detroit Premises Liability Attorney

Michigan property owners must ensure that their property is safe, especially in a residential situation, such as an apartment complex or rental home. They must keep their structures free of defects and other potentially dangerous hazards that could cause harm to tenants and to others. Failure to do so can lead to serious injuries from a slip and fall accident. A slip and fall accident claim or case is based upon a person slipping, tripping, or falling on property owned by another person or business. Landowners and landlords may be held liable under Michigan\’s legal system for failing to address unsafe conditions on their property.

If you have suffered an injury due to a slip and fall or other related injury at your apartment, it is possible that your landlord’s negligence could be at fault. Should this be the case, it is important that you discuss your situation with our experienced Detroit personal injury lawyers at Goodman Acker P.C. who are well-versed in the area of slip and fall accidents. Doing so can help bring you closer to the justice you deserve.

Where & Why Do Slip & Falls Occur?

Examples of common slip and fall hazards at apartment buildings include cracked sidewalks, slippery or wet floors, loose handrails or broken steps, new construction, and a lack of signs warning of a known hazard.

Slip and falls can occur in a variety of commercial settings, including:

Your Protection Under The Law

Michigan has a law that sets out what landlords must do to keep their properties safe. Under Michigan 554.139, landlords must keep their premises “in reasonable repair during the term of the lease.” They must also “comply with the applicable health and safety laws of the state and of the local unit of government where the premises are located…” They may be found not liable if “the disrepair or violation of the applicable health or safety laws has been caused by the tenant\’s willful or irresponsible conduct or lack of conduct.”

Under Michigan law, you must show that the property owner or landlord knew or should have known about the hazard and had time to correct it but didn\’t do so. Tenant slip and fall cases can get complicated, with disputes arising under the statute over whether the landlord or the tenant was actually at fault.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Contact Our Detroit Personal Injury Lawyers.

At Goodman Acker P.C., our legal team understands all relevant state and local safety rules and regulations, and we are familiar with the controlling statute and the very latest case law. Our lawyers will investigate your Michigan slip and fall case to determine if building code violations are an issue.

If the property owner failed to follow Michigan law or Detroit metro area regulations, we may be able to make a case for negligence. In the apartment complex or rental home setting, our lawyers will investigate whether a landlord had constructive notice of a dangerous condition that should have been corrected.

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]