There shouldn’t be any hazards in an apartment that could put your life or the lives of your family and friends at risk. But too many landlords don’t take care of their properties. They fail to conduct routine inspections in between tenants and ignore repair requests and complaints. Some offer inadequate maintenance and pretend the problem’s fixed. Some of these issues are serious enough to cause you harm.
If you were injured in your apartment or another person’s apartment complex, call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900. You also can schedule your free, confidential consultation by sending us your information through the online contact form. Let us explain how our apartment accident lawyers can help.
Common Apartment Defects in Illinois
Common hazards in neglected apartments include:
- Broken and unstable stairs
- Uneven and unstable flooring
- Poor lighting or lack of lighting in walkways
- Unstable balconies
- Loose or missing railings
- Old and broken appliances
- Incorrect electrical wiring
- Missing or broken smoke detectors
- Missing or broken carbon monoxide detectors
- Inadequate security measures
- Unregulated water heaters
- Old lead paint
Types of Apartment-Related Accidents
Slip and Falls
One of the most common types of premises liability claims is a slip and fall or trip and fall. Whether you fall to the ground or from a height, you can sustain severe injuries. You could break a bone trying to catch yourself or hit your head on something and get a concussion. If you fell because of a defect in your apartment that the landlord should’ve fixed, call us right away.
Fires
Negligent apartments often have hidden fire hazards. If a fire starts in the apartment, and you don’t have adequate smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or sprinklers, you could suffer serious burns and smoke inhalation.
Scalding Water
Water heaters are capable of producing extremely hot and boiling water. But that’s not what you want coming out of the tap or in the shower. When water heaters aren’t regulated correctly in your apartment building, and the water temperature can change suddenly, you could be severely burned.
Electric Shock and Electrocution
Poorly maintained apartments could have dangerous electrical issues in the walls and appliances. If you are exposed to live wires, you could suffer a serious electric shock.
Carbon Monoxide
If carbon monoxide builds up in your apartment and you lack the legally required detectors or the detectors in place aren’t functioning, you can suffer serious injuries. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas, and when it builds up in your body, it prevents your body from receiving oxygen.
Mold
A significant amount of mold can make anyone ill. If you are allergic to mold, your reaction will be significant.
Assault
If your apartment building doesn’t have adequate safety measures, you could be the victim of a physical assault, burglary, or sexual assault.
Common Injuries from Defective Apartments
Broken Bones
If you fall or a victim of an assault in your apartment, you could sustain one or more broken bones. You might need a cast, surgery, and physical therapy to heal. The amount of medical care and time it takes to recover depend on the type and severity of the fracture.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you suffer a blow to the head, from a fall or an assault, you could sustain a mild, moderate, or severe TBI. A mild TBI is a concussion, which most people recover from. But it’s possible to deal with long-term side effects of any brain injury, particularly if you’ve suffered a concussion or TBI before. If you’re diagnosed with a moderate-to-severe TBI, you’re more likely to deal with long-term or permanent physical, cognitive, and emotional consequences. The most severe TBIs can result in a coma, vegetative state, or death.
Soft Tissue Injuries
It’s easy to dismiss soft tissue injuries. But these can be much more serious than a rolled ankle. If you tear a muscle, tendon, or ligament, you might need surgery. You also might need months of physical therapy to regain your strength and flexibility.
Back Injuries
An accident or assault in your apartment building could hurt your back. Your doctor might diagnose you with strains and sprains, a herniated disc, fractured vertebra, or a combination of these injuries. You might need pain management, chiropractic care, surgery, and other medical treatments to heal to the maximum extent possible. Unfortunately, back injuries tend to linger, and you might deal with discomfort, pain, and a reduced range of motion for the rest of your life.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A catastrophic accident could cause a spinal cord injury. In addition to paralysis, you could suffer respiratory issues, blood circulation and pressure issues, a high risk of infection, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction.
Burns
You could suffer second- or third-degree burns in a fire or because of sudden scalding water. Burns are painful and significantly increase your risk of infection. For the most severe burns, you’ll need on-going medical care. You might require several cosmetic surgeries.
Smoke Inhalation
You could suffer permanent damage to your lungs and breathing problems from smoke inhalation. You also can suffer permanent injuries related to oxygen deprivation.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to oxygen deprivation and long-term health issues. Long-term exposure to high carbon monoxide can lead to memory and concentration issues, sleep problems, vision problems, a higher risk of heart diseases, and other issues.
Lead Poisoning
Lead paint in old homes and apartments can cause lead to build up in the body. Children are the most susceptible to lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can impact a child’s physical and mental development. In adults, it can cause myriad symptoms, including kidney dysfunction, memory loss, numbness, anemia, fatigue, headaches, and more. In high levels, lead is toxic and can lead to seizures, encephalopathy, and coma.
Talk with us Today if You Were Hurt in a Chicago Apartment
Whether you were diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning or slip and fell at a friend’s apartment complex, our apartment building accident lawyers want to hear from you. The cause of your injuries might be a defect in the apartment or on the landlord’s property. The landlord has a responsibility to keep the premises reasonably safe for their tenants and visitors. If our attorneys discover a hidden defect caused your injuries, we’ll pursue compensation from the landlord, whether they’re an individual, local small business, or a large corporation. Our priority will be fighting for you to receive full and fair compensation for your injuries.
To schedule a free consultation with an apartment negligence attorney Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., send us your information through the online form or call (312) 236-2900.
