King of Prussia PA Personal Injury Lawyer
Sometimes injuries that do not seem terrible at the surface, end up causing a significant amount of bodily damage. One of our recent cases exemplified such an unfortunate scenario. While walking her dog in a designated area of her apartment complex, our client stepped into a divot in the ground that was completely covered by grass. After the fall she was in the near of a personal injury lawyer.
A seemingly minor accident quickly transformed into a health disaster as her list of injuries continued to accumulate. Initially, the diagnosis was only a fractured right ankle and a broken knee. The early word from her doctor was that even if she recovered well, she was likely to suffer from arthritis for the remainder of her life. The pain in the ankle persisted due to dystrophy. After an MRI, another fracture, in the fibula this time, was revealed along with a meniscus tear. Two more serious injuries to accompany the others. She then underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair her knee, only to find more damage in the meniscus. Finally, due to the extra weight she was forced to put on her left knee, further damage was created in her left knee and nerves in her lower back. This all resulted from a severe fall while walking her dog in her apartment complex.
Our client learned, from maintenance and other residents that other residents had tripped in this hole in the ground. At this point, she felt she had grounds to have a strong case for a lawsuit against the apartment complex. The apartment complex had previously been aware of the danger that existed in the dog walking area and did nothing to resolve this issue. It is clear that the complex was on notice of the defective condition based on others being injured in the past. She sought out our firm to evaluate her claim, and assess the strategies for her to get back to where she was before the accident.
Pennsylvania law dictates that landlords who reserve control over areas of leased property, including areas such as lawns in an apartment complex, have a duty to keep such parts “reasonably safe for the use of tenants.”This past notice made the complex liable for our client’s injuries, especially when this dangerous conditions could have been easily remedied by the maintenance of employees of the apartment complex. The situation was definitely unsafe for all the residents of the complex and our client just happened to be the one who was severely victimized by the apartment’s lack of care.
As many cases before have indicated, the duty of the landlord is unique and should ensure all residents of a reasonable amount of safety on their premises. This law is governed by prior cases which have dealt with similar accidents causing injuries on landlord property. Ciccarelli Law Offices were able to exploit this strong precedent in Pennsylvania to our client’s benefit. Our client won a significant settlement from the apartment complex which helped her recoup her losses for her countless medical bills and physical therapy treatments. She was affected negatively by this accident for the rest of her life and needs to continually dedicate herself to her body’s rehabilitation. She deserved financial compensation for her severe injury and she received just that.
Our Philadelphia slip and fall attorneys are here to help lead you through the complicated judicial process. The Ciccarelli Law Offices are headquartered in West Chester but also have offices in the surrounding counties. We serve injury clients through Pennsylvania in the metro Philadelphia including Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, Berks County, Bucks County and Montgomery County. If someone else is liable for the injuries you have sustained, you should be compensated for the costs of your injuries. Our experienced Personal Injury attorneys are diligent in our cases for all of our clients in personal injuries. Call us for more information or any questions you may have at 610-692-8700 or toll free at 877-529-2422.