West Palm Beach Stair Collapse Attorney
According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, more than 1 million Americans suffer from injuries on stairs each year. When you visit someone’s home or business, you should feel safe in the knowledge that the owners have completed reasonable upkeep and maintenance on the property. However, when property managers cut corners, your safety is jeopardized. When failure to maintain property results in a stair collapse, the property owners can be held financially accountable for their negligence.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to a stair collapse, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages associated with your condition. Call the West Palm Beach stair collapse lawyers of Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. today at (561) 689-8180 or contact us online and we can review your case during a free consultation.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer?
When you experience an accident that results in serious injuries, you need to devote all of your time to your recovery so that you can minimize stress and get back to work as soon as possible. However, day-to-day tasks can become too difficult to manage when you are injured, and you can become overwhelmed quickly. An attorney can help you get the compensation you need to pay your medical bills and other expenses, and we have just the team you need at Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A.. Our experienced West Palm Beach stair collapse lawyers take care of all the legal details for you so that you can focus on making a speedy recovery.
In Florida, the law requires that you bring personal injury claims within four years of the date of your accident. This is called the statute of limitations, and if you exceed that four-year period, you will lose your ability to recover for your injuries. There are other kinds of legal rules that can limit or even totally prevent your legal claim. By retaining a trusted attorney, you can rest assured that they know the rules that apply to your case so you do not have to worry about learning the law. Let a West Palm Beach stair collapse attorney at Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. help you with your case today, starting with a free consultation.
Why Choose Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A.?
At Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A., we value the lives and health of injured victims who experience pain of any kind. We have dedicated our practice of law to helping victims right the wrongs that have come their way by pursuing justice on their behalf. We are passionate about our clients, and we hope that our work will contribute to the safety of people in our community, which means enforcing safety in all areas, including by property owners on their premises.
Our diligent attorneys have recovered billions of dollars for our clients in personal injury cases, and we proudly assist victims and their families in overcoming the hardships that accompany serious injuries. We have been honored by many legal networks for our unrelenting work and success, including the Florida Justice Association, the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, the National Trial Lawyers, the Bar Register, Martindale-Hubbell, and more. However, none of these awards are as important as the real testimonials from our clients who have benefitted from our work.
About Stair Collapses
Property owners have a duty to keep their premises in a safe condition. These and other building code rules are in place to protect our community. When rules are broken or shortcuts are taken, dangerous conditions can cause accidents with lasting effects.
The most common causes of stairway collapses are:
- Structural flaws
- Design defects
- Manufacturing defects
- Improperly secured stairs
- Unstable footing
- Uneven footing causing improper wear
- Regular wear and tear without maintenance
These conditions can usually be avoided with regular inspections and preventative repairs. When inspections are skipped, innocent victims can be injured. The most common injuries that result from stairway collapses include:
- Falls
- Broken bones
- Sprains and strains
- Head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Bruises and lacerations
- Trauma
- Wrongful death
No matter the type of injuries you experience, you do not deserve to suffer for an accident that was no fault of your own. At Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A., we will carefully review your case to identify the parties who are liable for your accident so that you can get the financial compensation you need to cover your unexpected expenses.
Stair Collapse Liability
In Florida, property owners owe a different level of protection to visitors to their property depending on how the visitor is classified. There are three classifications of visitors:
- Invitees: Invitees enter a property for the economic benefit of the property manager. They include customers, contractors, and more. Invitees are owed the highest duty of care. Property owners must regularly inspect their property for problems, promptly repair any hazard that is discovered, and warn all invitees of potential hazards.
- Licensees: Licensees enter a property for their own benefit but with the consent of the property manager, such as a house guest. Property owners must warn licensees about any non-obvious hazards, but they do not owe them the same duty of care that they owe invitees.
- Trespassers: Trespassers enter a property illegally and without knowledge or permission of a property owner. Property owners do not owe trespassers any duty of care, unless the trespasser is a child who cannot appreciate the danger of certain “attractive nuisances” such as swimming pools.
In addition, Florida operates using the standard of pure comparative negligence. This means that if you are found to be partially responsible for your own injuries, you can still recover compensation, but your award will be reduced by the percentage you are found to be at fault. For example, if you were jumping on the stairs when they collapsed, you may be found to be 25% responsible for your injuries. If you would have been awarded $100,000, your award will be reduced by 25%, and you will ultimately receive only $75,000.
Call Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. Today
If you have suffered injuries from a stair collapse, an experienced lawyer at Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter P.A. can help you get the relief you need. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and other damages by filing a premises liability claim for your injuries. Our skilled premises liability attorneys are standing by to help you with everything you need in order to achieve justice in your situation. Call us today at (561) 689-8180 or contact us online for a free consultation.