Should You Use A Set Of Stairs If They Appear Old Or Broken?

October 29, 2024
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It is important to understand the dangers that a set of old or broken stairs presents and how this danger may get you tangled up in a New Haven slip and fall accident which could leave you with serious injuries. If you’re approaching a set of stairs that appear to be old or broken you should not use these stairs to get to the next level of the building you are trying to get to. You are taking a significant risk if you take a “chance” that the old or broken looking stairs are actually sturdy and stable enough to hold your weight and allow you to get to where you are going without being put at risk.

So, the short answer is, no, you should avoid using broken or old stairs at all costs. Even if a set of stairs appears to be fine, but there are a few cracks in the railing or on a particular step you should avoid these stairs all together. While it may appear on the surface level that the “damage” is not terribly serious, the underlying structure may not be able to support any weight put on it and you are running the risk of getting into a serious accident.

If you come across a set of stairs that you even have the smallest amount of doubt about the safety of the structure, you should avoid it at all costs. This may make your life a little harder because you’re going to need to figure out what your next steps are to get to where you are going, but in the long run you will be saved from the agony of injury and the difficulty that comes with not only not getting to your destination in a timely manner, but also in a long recovery process that could have you off your feet for weeks and even months, all because you were willing to “risk it” with an old set of stairs. Ultimately it is up to you about how risky you want to be when it comes to traversing an old set of stairs, but it is recommended that you do not take that risk.

What should you do instead? You need to get to your destination and the fastest and easiest way to get there is to go on this set of stairs that is in front of you. Here are some steps you should take right away if you notice a set of stairs is old or broken.

1.) You should report the issue. This is a courtesy that you are extending to the property owner or business owner and it is something that will not only flag the issue for the person who is responsible for the property, but it will also keep others who may approach the same set of stairs off of the stairs once the business or property owner places signage around the stairs to make sure no one tries to go up or down the stairs. If this does not happen, you may want to report the broken or old stairs to the building department of the town or city you are in.

2.) Find an alternate route. Once you know that you will not be able to use the stairs to get where you are going you are going to need to find an alternative way to get there. This can be hard as many old buildings only have one set of stairs to get to the next floor. If you can’t find an alternative way to get to your destination, let anyone you are meeting up with know that you are not able to make it due to the dangerous situation with the stairs leading there and find out if they know of an alternative route that would allow you to make it to your destination without putting yourself at risk.

3.) If there is no alternative route and you absolutely must risk climbing the set of stairs you should approach with extreme caution. You should make sure you step over broken stairs and use railings if at all possible. Make sure you have a firm grip so that if the floor does give way under your feet that you are able to hang on to something to make sure you do not fall straight through the floor an experience a significant injury. It is always best to not have to take this risk, but if you are left with no other choice then you should proceed extremely carefully so you do not put yourself at greater risk.

We often take stairs for granted when we’re in public. We use stairs to get inside most buildings and once inside we often need to use a set of stairs to get to another level in the building easily. However, if you are in a building that is older and the stairs do not look structurally sound, do not risk a New Haven slip and fall accident which may get you injured significantly. Follow the above steps and remember that no meeting or appointment is worth risking getting into an accident that could create long-term problems for you if you get injured.

Remember that accidents do happen and you may be on stairs that you didn’t see any evidence of neglect or age which could lead to injuries. If you are hurt, you may wish to contact an attorney that has experience with this type of situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.