Apartment complexes are meant to be safe places to live. Yet, many tenants suffer injuries each year due to preventable hazards in these buildings. Such cases often involve landlord negligence, building code violations or poor maintenance. Many injuries in apartment complexes are preventable. Knowing their causes and your rights can help you protect yourself and your family.

Here are some common causes of injuries in apartment complexes:

• Slip and fall hazards — Slips and falls rank among the most common causes of tenant injuries. Wet or icy walkways, poorly lit hallways and stairwells, loose carpeting, broken tiles or leaking ceilings can create unsafe conditions. Landlords must maintain shared areas and must address complaints about unsafe conditions. If they do not and someone is hurt, they may be held liable.

• Fires and smoke-related injuries — Fires can occur because of faulty wiring, inoperable smoke detectors or fire exits that are blocked or locked. The state building code requires landlords to install and maintain basic safety measures such as smoke detectors and accessible exits.

• Stairway and balcony failures — Broken railings, uneven steps or rotted wood in stairways and balconies can cause serious falls. If a landlord violates property maintenance codes, this can strengthen a tenant’s claim for compensation after an injury.

• Dog bites and animal incidents — Connecticut has a strict liability dog bite statute, providing injured victims a right of action against dog owners. Landlords may share responsibility for dog bites or animal attacks if they failed to enforce rules regarding restraints of dogs on premises. 

• Negligent security — Broken exterior locks, poor lighting or malfunctioning security gates can leave tenants vulnerable to assault or theft. When a crime is deemed foreseeable and reasonable security measures were neglected, landlords may be held liable.

• Maintenance failures — Unsafe conditions like mold growth, faulty appliances, collapsing ceilings or pest infestations arise when landlords ignore essential repairs. Tenants should always document repair requests in writing to establish notice and help protect their rights.

Connecticut law requires landlords to keep their properties reasonably safe. To hold a landlord liable, tenants must prove a dangerous condition existed; the landlord knew or should have known about the hazard; the landlord failed to fix or warn about the condition; and the hazard directly caused the injury.

Evidence supporting a claim can include photos, videos, witness statements, maintenance records, prior complaints and building code violations. A tenant’s case can be stronger when there is evidence of negligence or code violations. A Connecticut premises liability lawyer can advise of you on whether your injuries are compensable and can assist you in pursuing a claim. 

If you’re injured in a Connecticut apartment complex, the attorneys at Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. in Hamden and East Haven are here to help. Call us at 203-745-0942 or contact us online to schedule free initial consultation.