Are Property Owners in Tampa Required to Carry Out Inspections?

After a slip and fall in Tampa, you might wonder why the property owner did not repair an obvious walking hazard. You might also wonder whether the property owner was inspecting their premises properly, and whether such inspections were even necessary under Tampa law. The answers to these questions may not be straightforward, and you might want to discuss your unique situation with a slip and fall lawyer in Tampa.

Landlords Are Legally Required to Carry Out Safety Inspections 

If you slipped and fell on a property owned by a landlord, you should know that all landlords in Florida are legally required to carry out reasonable safety inspections of their premises before renting to tenants.

Note that a landlord is not automatically responsible for injuries suffered by their tenant in the slip and fall. The tenant might have caused their own injury by creating puddles in their bathroom or kitchen. They might have stumbled over their loose items strewn across the floor.

On the other hand, some injuries occur in “shared areas” such as stairwells, walking paths, and parking lots. The landlord is wholly responsible for the safety of these areas. If there is a clear hazard such as a broken staircase, the landlord must repair it in a reasonable amount of time. If the landlord never becomes aware of the broken staircase because they didn’t bother to inspect the premises, they may still be liable for the injuries.

 Business Owners Must Also Carry Out Safety Inspections 

Aside from landlords, various business owners are also responsible for carrying out safety inspections. An obvious example is a restaurant, which is usually subject to regular visits from health & safety inspectors. That being said, virtually every business owner must assess potential hazards on their premises on a regular basis.

These might include owners of grocery stores, hardware stores, gas stations, and so on. Ignorance of the hazard is not always a viable defense, and an experienced injury lawyer can argue that the business owner should have been aware of the hazard.

 Code Enforcement Officers Can Inspect Buildings for Potential Violations

 Building Codes in Florida and Tampa help ensure safe environments for the public. Code enforcement officers may conduct inspections of buildings if they have reason to believe that the premises may be unsafe. They may also obtain “inspection warrants” that allow them to conduct full sweeps of the entire premises. These inspections could help uncover various violations, and you may be able to use this information as evidence in a slip and fall lawsuit.

Can a Tampa Slip and Fall Lawyer Help Me Hold Property Owners Accountable? 

If you believe that a property owner contributed to your fall by failing to properly inspect their premises, you might just be correct. In order to investigate this situation in more detail, consider speaking with an experienced Tampa slip and fall lawyer. Your lawyer can determine whether the property owner was conducting regular safety inspections – and this evidence may help you pursue compensation. To learn more about the next steps, contact Anderson & Anderson today.

Sources: 

tampa.gov/service/building-structural-violation-complaint

tampa.gov/construction-services/inspection-services