If you are seriously injured in an apartment accident caused by a negligent landlord or property manager, The Kryder Law Group, LLC, can help. We represent seriously injured accident victims in Chicago and the surrounding metropolitan area.
In this Article
According to a 2022 national rent report from real estate platform, Zumper, rents across the country continue to rise dramatically with rental housing in high demand to keep pace with urban development. Chicago ranks as the 13th most expensive city to rent an apartment. On average, a Chicago one bedroom apartment rents for $1,950, which is up by 36.4% from July 2021. A two bedroom apartment rents for $2,250 on average in Chicago, which has dramatically increased from 2021 to 2022 by 32.4%.
With rents going up, and with units in high demand, it’s more important than ever to make sure you avoid a bad landlord.
Before signing a lease, always:
If you find yourself with a bad landlord, there are a few things renters can do:
When you contact 311 to register a complaint, it may be followed up by a Chicago Department of Buildings building inspector to look for building code violations. His or her inspection report includes information about the inspection of the premises to verify the complaint.
They also check for working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, along with building exits. If building code violations are observed, they will issue violations. If they can’t access the building to investigate a tenant’s complaint, they will leave written notice and come back to re-inspect property.
If you live in the City of Chicago, you are protected under the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (CRLTO). The CRLTO establishes safety codes that most landlords must follow to provide a habitable condition in their property. Its provisions include requirements that landlords:
In February of 2021, Chicago City Council passed a new law mandating the use of sealed-battery smoke alarms and impose fines on landlords who fail to provide them or intentionally disable them.
The fines range from minimum $500 to minimum $1,000 per violation per day. The law applies to new or replacement smoke alarms installed in a rental unit beginning January 1, 2022. It also applies to smoke alarms installed by the occupants beginning January 1, 2023.
Other municipalities, including all of Cook County, have similar tenant rights ordinances. If your landlord is violating safety codes, you should notify your landlord in writing. That way you can show proof that the landlord had actual notice of any dangerous conditions if you or someone else is ever injured. If the landlord refuses to comply with any building code violation, you also have the option of contacting your local municipality.
For Chicago, you can contact the Department of Buildings at 311 or online. Remember: Chicago landlords cannot retaliate against you for reporting building code violations! This insures that valid concerns will be reported and landlords won’t evict for a perceived tenant’s abuse of the system.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) also provides resources for Healthy Homes on the health department website. This includes information from the health department for both tenants and landlords about what to do to prevent lead poisoning or how to handle bedbugs.
Chicago-area landlords are notorious for failing to provide safe housing free of health violations for their tenants. As a result, tenants are at increased risk of accidents requiring costly medical care, missed work, and a painful recovery process. Many accidents may be life-altering or even fatal.
The Kryder Law Group, LLC fights for apartment accident victims to help them receive the maximum compensation they deserve under the law. We will help you through all stages of the litigation process from the initial investigation through trial where we present evidence to a jury.
We offer free initial case consultations for accident victims and their families, so contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC today.
To prove your apartment accident case, you must show that there existed an unreasonably dangerous condition on the premises and that your landlord either: 1) created that condition or 2) had actual or constructive control over the particular area where you were injured.
Common areas such as hallways, entrances, sidewalks, parking lots, elevators, and stairwells are almost always considered under the control of the landlord, and you can hold your landlord accountable for any injuries you sustained. However, you typically cannot sue if you were injured in your own apartment unless it was due to a latent defect on the property the landlord failed to warn you about.
To prove your case against your landlord, you must present admissible evidence in court. This will include witness testimony, photographs and video footage, and documentary evidence.
Your lease will be important as it will identify the areas in your apartment building that your landlord still maintained control over. For injuries due to faulty maintenance, inspection logs and repair invoices will be helpful in identify whether the defendant had notice of any defects.
In addition to landlords, you may also be able to hold other defendants liable for creating any hazards. Other common defendants are:
Landlord cases usually arise out of failing to maintain safe conditions in common areas. Examples of injury cases against landlords include:
In most cases, you are entitled to compensatory damages if a jury finds that your landlord was liable for your injuries. This usually includes:
Landlords and their insurance companies usually hire high-powered defense attorneys to try to escape liability. But you do not need to fight for your rights alone.
The Kryder Law Group, LLC dedicates its entire practice to representing accident victims and their families in personal injury cases. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t need to pay until we win for you.
We represent seriously injured accident victims and are proud of our results. These results include: