Stairs in a property can be deceptively dangerous. If they are not constructed through specific requirements, they may cause a number of serious injuries, accidents, and death. Builders and property owners must follow these requirements when building a staircase. Otherwise, if a person gets injured on the staircase, they may be held liable for all damages. For a person’s safety, stairs must meet or exceed certain guidelines.
If you or a loved one has suffered severe injuries from a defective staircase, you deserve compensation. Get in touch with our Denver defective staircase lawyer from Jordan, Herington, & Rowley. We offer free consultations, call us at (303) 465-8733
Why Work With Our Denver Defective Staircase Attorney?
- The team of attorneys at Jordan, Herington & Rowley are experienced and successful. We have secured millions of dollars worth of judgments and settlements for our clients
- A results-oriented team, we have a strong reputation in the community for being highly communicative and honest with our clients about their cases.
- We are 100% focused on our clients by fighting for their rights to compensation in injury cases. We want to make sure the client and their family are taken care of.
Depth and Height of Stairs
The height of a step is called a “riser” and the depth of a step is called the “run.” There are minimum and maximum allowable sizes for the riser and run of a step so they can be used safely.
Stair Variance
In addition to the size of the riser and run, there are also requirements related to the variance. The variance is the difference between the size of the steps. Uneven steps are dangerous because our brain memorizes the size of the step, so we know where to place our foot on the next step. It creates a tripping hazard if the information our brain is counting on is different.
Handrails
There is clear negligence if a handrail is absent when there should have been one. Improperly placed handrails can also cause injury.
Other Defects
Other possible defects can be tilted steps, loose carpeting or boards, broken tile, poor lighting, and slippery tread.
Injuries
Although many falls on stairs result in minor injury, major falls create major injuries. Common serious injuries from falling on stairs are:
- Spinal cord damage
- Brain injury
- Broken bones
- Dislocations
- Neck or back injuries
- Wrongful death
According to the National Safety Council, “falls are the third leading cause of unintentional death in the U.S., accounting for nearly 32,000 deaths in 2014.”
Liability
To establish liability, it must be established that the staircase is defective. Once that has been established, it must be determined that the injury you sustained was caused by the defect.
Property owners or managers have a responsibility to keep their property in good repair. If the accident was preventable and the owner or manager didn’t do anything to prevent it, they may be liable for your injuries.
Not all defects can be easily fixed but, at the very least, the responsible party should have made you aware of the potential danger so you could take appropriate action to avoid injury.
Determining liability for defective stairs can be tricky. For example, if the stairs are tile and were installed improperly, the contractor may be liable for your fall. If the tile itself is defective, the manufacturer may share in the blame.
We Are Ready to Help You
It’s important to assemble a team of trusted and highly skilled experts to guide you through the complexities of a defective staircase. It’s important to us that you have a voice, so we are available 24/7. When you work with Jordan, Herington & Rowley, you can rest easy knowing that you have a dedicated, compassionate team on your side. Call our personal injury lawyers in Denver today.