Sample NY Landlord Negligence Cases & NY Premises Liability Cases
$1 Million
Settlement for Harassment by Manhattan Landlord that Caused Emotional Distress (Landlord Negligence)
A tenant organizer and his girlfriend
lived in an Upper West Side Manhattan building. The landlord hired
men to monitor and harass the plaintiffs. Plaintiffs suffered from
stress disorders because of the constant surveillance and verbal
altercations. During closing arguments, the defendants agreed to a
settlement for a total of $1 million, $500,000 for each plaintiff.
$560,000 Verdict for Slip and Fall on Staircase in the
Bronx (Premises Liability Case)
A 13 year-old girl tripped and fell on
the staircase of her Bronx apartment building because of a
long-standing broken step. She fractured her tibia and
fifth metatarsal. The jury deliberated for one hour before
returning a verdict holding the defendant solely responsible for the
incident and awarding the now 19 year-old girl a total of $560,000
for past and future pain and suffering.
$425,000 Settlement for Woman Hurt by Collapsing
Kitchen Cabinet in Brooklyn (Landlord Negligence Case)
In the winter of 2004, a couple living
near Prospect Park complained on multiple occasions to their
landlord of a ceiling leak in their kitchen. The leak arose from a
combination of snow build-up on the roof and faulty design and
maintenance of the building structure. The landlord ignored the
couple’s complaints. During the next large snow storm, the leak
returned and a kitchen cabinet collapsed on the woman fracturing her
ankle so badly that it required surgery and left her with permanent
damage. Attorney Carol Schlitt assembled extensive engineering and
architectural evidence and a team of experts to prove the landlord’s
liability as well as medical records and experts to document the
plaintiff’s injuries. Due to the thoroughness of the investigation
and the aggressive handling of the case, Ms. Schlitt negotiated a
settlement before putting the case in suit. The landlord paid a
settlement of $425,000.
$150,000 Settlement for Slip and Fall on an Uncleared
Sidewalk in the Bronx (Landlord Negligence Case)
On President’s Weekend in 2003, a 26
year-old man visited his friend in the Woodlawn section of the
Bronx. Leaving the apartment building, he slipped and fell on an
uncleared walkway, suffering a
bimalleolar fracture of his right ankle. An ambulance
transported him to
North Central Bronx Hospital, where he was treated and released.
He ultimately underwent surgery on his ankle at
Jacobi Hospital. Attorney Schlitt employed eyewitness testimony
and physical evidence to build a strong argument on liability and
she constructed a clear and compelling case on damages. The landlord
settled the case on the eve of trial for $150,000.
$75,000 Settlement for Hempstead Woman Hurt by Elevator
Doors (Premises Liability Case)
The woman entered an office building in
Hempstead on her way to work. The elevator door, while closing,
struck the woman on the right shoulder causing injuries that
exacerbated a pre-existing condition of that shoulder. Working with
elevator engineers, Ms. Schlitt proved an argument that the elevator
doors closed more rapidly than they were programmed to close, thus
causing the woman’s injuries. The defense settled before trial for
$75,000.
$70,000 Settlement for Ankle Injury Resulting from Poor
Maintenance by Bronx Landlord (Landlord Negligence)
A woman repeatedly complained about a
leak in her bathroom, yet the landlord refused to fix the problem.
While cleaning her shower, the woman stepped from the tub and her
foot fell through a water damaged floor that resulted from the
landlord’s negligence. As a result of this accident, the woman tore
a ligament in her ankle and required outpatient surgery. The
defendants agreed to settle the case before going to trial for
$70,000.
$20,000 Settlement for Rat Bite in
Brooklyn (Landlord Negligence Case)
Not every case has a large dollar value,
but every case is important. This case began on a Sunday morning in
April 2005 when a Brooklyn man lay in bed relishing some extra rest.
His peace did not last as a rat scrambled into his bed and bit him
on the nose. The man immediately sought care at
Kingsbrook Jewish
Medical Center’s Emergency Room where he received immediate medical
treatment and referrals for follow up care. Attorney Schlitt worked
with her client to document the complaints about vermin made to the
building’s landlord and the failure of the landlord to address those
complaints. Faced with a mountain of documentation and the promise
of expert witnesses, the current landlord settled the case before
trial for $20,000.
$20,000 Settlement for a Trip and Fall
on Defective Steps in the Bronx (Premises Liability Case)
On the afternoon of the incident, a young
mother arrived to pick up her son from a day care center that was
housed in a large building with multiple tenants. While walking up
the four steps that lead from the sidewalk to the entrance of the
building, the woman tripped and fell on the damaged fourth step. Her
fall resulted from a riser that was of an uneven height and out of
compliance with
New York City Building
Code. That particular step
was damaged and the landlord had not maintained it properly. The
poorly maintained step caused the woman to fall backward and injure
her back and right wrist. While she broke no bones, the soft tissue
injuries required her to wear a splint and receive physical therapy.
The owner of the building settled the case for $20,000.
$19,000 Settlement for Soft Tissue Injuries Resulting from Fall on
Stairs Caused by Uneven Steps (Premises Liability Case)
A 32 year-old woman attending an opera
audition was directed to take a particular stairwell. While walking
down those stairs, she fell on the third step from the bottom, as
the steps were uneven and in poor condition. She tumbled the
remaining three steps and crashed onto the landing. She hurt her
wrists, back and legs and suffered soft tissue injuries. By working
with an expert in stairway design, Ms. Schlitt proved that the
stairs were not compliant with New York City building code and posed
a hazard. As the case neared trial, the defense settled for $19,000.
Carol L. Schlitt - New York Landlord Negligence and Premises
Liability Lawyer
If you or a loved one believe you have a been injured because of a property owner or landlord's negligence, you should contact a New York personal injury attorney who has experience with premises liability and landlord negligence cases. If you think you have a case or if you have questions, you can call me and I will be glad to discuss your rights, answer your questions and help you with a potential case. You can call me at 1-800-660-1466 or send me an e-mail at Carol@SchlittLaw.com. The consultation is free and I will be glad to help you.
I hope you have found this information
helpful.
Carol L. Schlitt
New York Personal Injury Attorney
1-800-660-1466
Carol@SchlittLaw.com.