New York landlord maintenance and injury liability law...

[SRobbins]

Hello,
I live in White Plains, NY. I'm new to renting in NY and recently had multiple lights in the chandelier of my dinning room go out. I notified the landlord and he told me to replace them and refused to do it, telling me to do it.

I pulled out a ladder and got up there to replace them. In the process I fell and broke my arm ending up in the emergency room. I have two questions:
1-Isnt he required to replace them seeing as it is a part of the apartment(it doesn't say otherwise in my contract)
2-Can I seek damages both to recoup the expenses and pain and suffering, as well as any penal $ damages?

It just doesn't seem right that I should replace a bulb in light fixture attached to the apartment. Nor does it seem right that I should risk my well being at the benefit of maintaining the owners fixture.
Thank you,
~Scott

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

1-Isnt he required to replace them seeing as it is a part of the apartment(it doesn't say otherwise in my contract)

No. Honestly, it's rather unbelievable that a tenant would expect a landlord to be responsible for lightbulbs that burn out IN their rental unit. Now if you were in an apartment complex and a light burned out in outside hallway or over the front door to the complex, it is likely management would be responsible for replacing those bulbs.

2-Can I seek damages both to recoup the expenses and pain and suffering, as well as any penal $ damages?

You can seek whatever you wish; however, unless the landlord happened to push you off the ladder, they are not responsible for this accident.

Gail