A common thread in fall down cases is a landlord who cuts corners, and does not do repairs to the property. We call them slum lords. Here, in spite of an obvious violation, and the building code, the landlord never fixed the stairs. There were three step leading from the door to the walkway. The three steps were made of stone. There was no handrail. The steps were free standing which means they were not attached to any wall. There was no where to grab or hold as one descended the steps. The door jam was elevated creating a tripping hazard. The property was not to code. Our client tripped on the door jam, and fell down the stairs. She braced herself with her hand and broke her arm below the elbow. She had it pinned. She was forced to go through two surgeries, and now has limited use of the arm. The arm has pain. She cannot use the arm for prolonged periods of time. But she still keep her happy disposition. She works hard, and is such a good workder that her boss allows her to take breaks when she needs to. She in spite of her loss, she is still a winner. We were able to achieve a favorable settlement for her. She was very happy.
