Apartment Complex Falls: Common Areas and Lighting
Common areas vs unit interiors
Falls in breezeways, stairs, and parking lots often involve the property owner or management company. Falls inside a leased unit may involve different duties depending on who caused the hazard and what the lease requires.
Lighting surveys
Nighttime falls deserve lighting photos taken as soon as possible at a similar time of night. Note burned-out fixtures and overgrown landscaping blocking lights.
Prior complaints
If neighbors previously reported the same hazard, that history can matter. You generally will not have those records without a formal process — do not harass neighbors, but do note names of people who volunteer information.