A woman narrowly escaped injury when a significant portion of her ceiling collapsed in an apartment accident in Brooklyn last month. The woman says that she had been complaining about a leak in her ceiling to NYCHA officials for over a year with no appreciable response. On May 31st, that leak caused a tremendous collapse that spilled sheetrock, dirty water, and insulation. Now, she says, her apartment is unlivable and she feels that she should be compensated.
NYCHA has long been considered one of New York City’s worst landlords with complaints from apartment building residents going unanswered for months. Often it takes an accident of this magnitude before the problem is rectified. An audit several years ago discovered a tremendous backlog of complaints that the agency was attempting to work through. No doubt the added stress that the COVID lockdown has placed on our city as a whole has only made this tenant’s situation worse.
Regardless, the City has a responsibility to residents that live safely in their buildings and complexes. If NYCHA fails to keep tenants safe from harm; protect their personal property from damage and causes their apartment to become unlivable, residents can seek compensation against the NYCHA for their pain and suffering, lost time from work, medical expenses and the cost of seeking housing and shelter elsewhere.
Getting that compensation can likely be a lengthy process and having an experienced New York City apartment accident lawyer on your side can only help to expedite the process. A legal professional understands the premises liability law in New York City as it pertains to the relationship between landlord and tenant and has the skill and expertise to get the maximum financial compensation an aggrieved tenant would be entitled to.
If you or a loved one has been injured or has suffered a significant financial loss because your landlord failed to perform necessary repairs, contact the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel today. Call 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation right now.