Property owners have a legal responsibility to protect you from unnecessary harm while you are a guest on their premises. They are obligated to care for and maintain any staircases to make them reasonably safe for you and others. When they fail to do so, you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim.
For help with stairwell accidents in Memphis, speak with an experienced slip and fall attorney at our firm. The dedicated team of lawyers at Reaves Law Firm, PLLC are prepared to consult on your case and fight to obtain to the financial recovery you deserve.
Staircases are an important feature in many businesses and other large public properties like hotels, airports, and shopping centers. Owners of those properties are expected to keep staircases safe to protect their visitors’ health and welfare. Common causes of stairwell falls in Memphis include:
Steps that are broken or otherwise damaged present a major hazard. Whether the stairwell is made of stone, concrete, wood, or another material, a broken step can collapse and cause significant injury. A property owner is responsible for inspecting all aspects of their grounds, including staircases, to uncover if any danger is present. If they learn that a step is damaged, they are liable for repairing it in a swift manner and in the meantime, alerting others of its defective condition.
A riser that is too high or low can cause people to stumble and trip. People are used to a standard step and a defective staircase can lead to severe injuries.
If steps are wet, they are exceptionally dangerous. If the wetness is because of a spill, leak, or other condition the property owner should have fixed or been aware of, then they may be financially responsible for failing to do so. This could result in a premises liability lawsuit and financial compensation for the injured party.
When a stairwell is too dark, it can be difficult to navigate safely. Poor lighting contributes to many staircase accidents in Memphis each year.
When steps and stairs collapse, the crash could cause serious harm to numerous individuals. Whether a person is on the first step or the highest step, the potential for severe or even deadly injuries is high.
Many stairs require a handrail to keep them safe—especially if they are on a higher floor. When these handrails are broken or missing it can create an exceptionally dangerous condition for those walking up and down them.
An injured person must prove that the owner or manager of the property where an incident occurred was negligent in allowing the stairwell to be defective in order to succeed in a lawsuit. A property owner is considered negligent when they breach their reasonable duty of care to protect their visitors and the breach leads to an injury.
Proving negligence requires providing sufficient evidence in court and complying with the established Tennessee Rules of Evidence. Even an “obvious” case can be difficult to prove for an injured person who does not understand the nuances of the judicial system. That is why it is essential to retain a knowledgeable attorney who could fight to protect an injured person’s rights to compensation in court.
Our firm has the knowledge and experience needed to handle injury cases involving stairwell accidents in Memphis. While these cases are governed by complex premises liability law that can affect your rights to compensation, our team of capable legal professionals understand these laws and how to put them to work for you.
Reach out to a seasoned attorney at the Reaves Law Firm, PLLC today for help with your stairwell accident case.
