Housing code violations are one of the most common causes of personal injury accidents taking place on private property. Homeowners are responsible for keeping up with the housing codes enforced at the municipal and state level. But it may surprise you how many homeowners throughout Washington, D.C. fail to stay educated or otherwise take action. Continue reading to learn more about your eligibility to sue and how an experienced Washington, D.C. building code violations lawyer at Simeone & Miller, LLP can help determine your legal case.
Under what circumstances am I eligible to sue a homeowner for my injuries?
Housing codes are in place to ensure the safety of a home, its occupants, and its welcomed visitors. So you may have incurred your injuries because a homeowner was aware, or should have been reasonably aware of, the housing code violations within their home; yet, they may have failed to rectify the potential safety hazards before hosting you.
Ultimately, these circumstances may serve as your grounds for a lawsuit against the negligent homeowner. More specific examples are as follows:
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to replace handrails that are at an improper height or not properly fastened (i.e., slip and fall).
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to replace out-of-date smoking detectors or missing carbon monoxide alarms (i.e., smoke or carbon monoxide exposure).
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to replace windows with improper flashing (i.e., mold exposure).
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to address issues with their electrical grounding and bonding (i.e., electrocution).
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to address issues with the improper venting of their appliances (i.e., carbon monoxide exposure).
- You may get injured because a homeowner fails to address issues with the improper support of their pipes (i.e., head injuries).
How long do I have for my opportunity to sue?
You may seek to recover financial compensation for your injuries through the negligent party’s homeowners’ insurance provider. However, it is more than likely that your payout, if you receive any at all, will not cover the full extent of your injuries. This is when you may consider turning to legal action and filing a personal injury claim.
You may not have much time allotted for your opportunity to sue. That is, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Washington, D.C. is generally three years from the date on which your accident occurred. This deadline may approach quicker than you think.
You must not question your instinct to retain the services of a skilled Washington, D.C. premises liability lawyer. Our team at Simeone & Miller, LLP can work to determine which legal option best suits you.