Negligent landlords who skip ceiling repairs in order to save a few dollars put innocent lives at risk. If you’re injured in a ceiling collapse because your landlord was negligent, take your case to a New York ceiling collapse attorney at the Mark E. Seitelman Law Offices.

If your landlord was negligent, you are entitled in New York State to monetary compensation for your personal injuries. New York landlords are legally obligated to keep their properties and premises reasonably free of hazardous risks for tenants and their visitors.

Some landlords paint over leaky or damaged ceilings to hide ceiling damage, but when ceilings collapse, catastrophic injuries – or worse – are the likely result.

If you and your attorney can prove that your landlord’s negligence directly caused your injury, the law in this state allows you to recover compensation for your medical expenses, your lost wages, your personal suffering and pain, and other related damages.

How Do Ceilings Collapse?

Ceilings that are properly constructed, maintained, and routinely inspected remain secure. Unless an earthquake, a fire, or an explosion happens, a properly constructed ceiling will not just collapse without some advance warning.

If a ceiling simply collapses, the ceiling or the roof over it had structural issues that were simply ignored. A ceiling collapse may be the result of:

  • inexperienced or incompetent builders or contractors
  • ceiling support damage during construction
  • failure to comply with building codes
  • use of substandard building materials to boost profits

Over time, leaks can weaken a ceiling, rotting out the supports. Rats, ants, termites, and other vermin can eat through and weaken ceiling supports. Especially in New York, accumulated snow and ice on a roof may also weaken a ceiling.

What Are the Issues in a Premises Liability Case?

Premises liability trials are concerned with what a property owner “should” have known and if the owner acted “reasonably.” In premises liability trials, the central questions are:

  • Was the property owner aware of the hazardous condition, and if not, why not?
  • When did the owner become aware of the hazardous condition?
  • When was the victim injured?
  • Did the owner have sufficient time to have the hazardous condition repaired?

Injury claims generated by ceiling collapses are usually settled outside of the courtroom. But if your claim is disputed and cannot be resolved privately, which is rare, a trial in civil court will establish whether a landlord was negligent by failing to have a ceiling repaired – and thus caused your injury.

After a Ceiling Collapse Incident

If you’re injured in a ceiling collapse incident in or near New York City, seek medical treatment immediately. Your next priority is to consult a New York ceiling collapse attorney at the Mark E. Seitelman Law Offices.

Your first legal consultation entails no cost or obligation. An attorney will review the details of your case, explain your rights and options, and help you determine if you should move forward with a premises liability claim.

If you choose us to advocate on your behalf, you pay no attorney’s fee to the Mark E. Seitelman Law Offices unless and until we recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and related damages. Call us to learn more or to begin the legal process.