Teresa Alvarado

Hi Teresa, thanks for reaching out. I'm here to help gather some information about your situation so the firm's attorneys can take a look. I'm an AI agent, not a lawyer, but I'll do my best to make sure everything important gets captured so the firm can review it and reach out if they can help. Go ahead and tell me, in your own words, what's going on. What brought you here today?

hi. i fell on the stairs at my building because the railing came off the wall and i broke my wrist. i had surgery and now the hospital wants 38 thousand dollars. i dont know what to do

I'm sorry, Teresa. A broken wrist, then surgery, and now a large bill is a lot to deal with all at once. We can go through it step by step. First, when did the fall happen? And is this a building where you rent your home, or a different kind of building?

It was May 16, the Saturday after mothers day, around 8 at night. Yes i rent my apartment there, its on the second floor at 1840 West 12th Avenue in Hialeah.

Thank you. Just to confirm, that's Saturday, May 16, 2026, about five months ago? And can you walk me through what happened as you went down the stairs: where you were going, what you were doing, and what happened when the railing came off?

yes thats right, May 16. I wasnt going down, i was going up the outside stairs coming home with two grocery bags. the light on the stairs was out so i grabbed the railing and it just pulled out of the wall and i fell.

Thanks for clarifying that you were going up. Before that night, had you noticed anything about the railing or the stair light, and had you or anyone else said something to the landlord or manager about either one?

yes the railing was loose for a long time. i texted Hector the manager on whatsapp three times, in march, april and early may, and he only answered once "ya lo vamos a arreglar" but nobody came. also i got some papers from the court on monday about the apartment. i put them in a drawer, i cant deal with that right now.

yes the railing was loose for a long time. i texted Hector the manager on whatsapp three times, in march, april and early may, and he only answered once "we're going to fix it" but nobody came. also i got some papers from the court on monday about the apartment. i put them in a drawer, i cant deal with that right now.

That sounds like a lot to be carrying, especially while you're still recovering. Let's take a quick look at the court papers so the firm knows what they are. You got them this past Monday, October 26. When you feel able to pull them out of the drawer, what does it say at the top of the first page, and does it give any hearing date or a number of days to respond?

it says eviction and something about five days. i didnt read all of it. do i need to do something with those papers fast?

I understand why you're worried. I can't speak to deadlines, but the firm will see these dates when it reviews your intake and will reach out if they can help. Do the papers, or anything the landlord or Hector has told you, say why they want you to leave?

im three months behind on rent since the fall because i couldnt work with my wrist. i told Hector in july i couldnt pay. and i did complain about the railing a lot.

Okay, thank you for telling me. Which months are unpaid, and how much is your monthly rent?

my rent is $1,450 a month. i paid through june, i didnt pay july, august, september or october.

Quick check: you mentioned three months behind, but July, August, September, and October would be four months. Is October also unpaid, or was part of it paid?

your right, its four months. october is not paid either, i just lost count, sorry.

No need to apologize, that's easy to lose track of. Before the court papers came on Monday, did you get any notice from the landlord or Hector about the rent, like a letter on your door or a message? If so, roughly when, and what did it say?

im not sure. i dont remember getting a letter before the court papers, maybe there was something but i dont know.

That's okay. How did the court papers reach you on Monday: handed to you by someone, left at your door, or in the mail?

im not sure, i think they were at my door when i came home but i dont remember good.

Got it. When you told Hector in July that you couldn't pay, how did you tell him, and what did he say back?

i told him because of my wrist i couldnt work. im not sure what he said back, i dont remember exactly.

That's alright. Was that conversation on WhatsApp, by phone, or in person?

im not sure, i think in person but i dont remember for sure.

That's fine, thank you. Have you talked to or hired any other lawyer about the fall, the hospital bill, or the eviction?

no, i havent talked to any lawyer about anything. this is the first time.

Okay, thank you. Let's go back to your wrist for a moment. After you fell that night, how did you get to the hospital, and which hospital was it?

my neighbor Mrs. Ruiz in 2B heard me scream and called the ambulance. they took me to Palmetto General.

Thank you. Did Mrs. Ruiz see the railing or the fall itself, or did she come out after hearing you?

she came out after she heard me scream, i dont think she saw me fall. she took pictures of the railing that night, i have them.

Got it. Since that night, has anyone repaired the railing or the stair light, or are they still the way they were?

Hector fixed the railing in june, like three weeks after i fell. the light on the stairs is still out.

Okay. After the fall, did you tell Hector or the landlord that you had fallen and been hurt, and if so, when and how?

im not sure exactly when i told him about the fall. he knew about my wrist because i told him in july i couldnt pay because of it.

Understood. Tell me about the treatment for your wrist: when was the surgery, and are you still getting care for it now, like therapy or follow-up visits?

the surgery was May 18, they put a plate in my right wrist. im not sure about therapy now, i dont have insurance so i dont go much.

Thank you. How is your right wrist now? What can you still not do, or what is harder than before the fall?

im not sure how to say it, i couldnt work for like ten weeks after. now i went back to cleaning but im not sure how good it is.

Okay. What kind of cleaning work do you do, and roughly how much were you earning a week before the fall?

i clean houses. i made about $600 a week, people pay me cash or by zelle.

Thank you. Going back to that night on the stairs, what were you wearing on your feet?

i was wearing flip flops.

Okay. Earlier that day or evening, had you had anything to drink, or taken any medication or other substances?

i had one glass of wine at my friends house that afternoon, around 3. nothing else.

Thank you. Before this fall, had you ever hurt your right wrist or had any problems with it?

im not sure, i dont think so.

Okay. Since the fall, has any insurance company, the landlord, or anyone on their behalf contacted you about it, or asked you to sign anything or give a statement?

the insurance company from the building called me one time and wanted me to give a recorded statement. i said i would call back but i didnt.

Do you remember the name of that insurance company, and roughly when they called?

no im not sure the name or when they called, sorry.

No problem at all. Turning to your apartment, do you have a written lease, and who is the landlord or owner, as far as you know?

the landlord is Coral Gardens Properties, Hector is the manager i deal with. im not sure about the lease, i think i signed something but i dont know where it is.

Thank you. When did you move into the apartment, and who lives there with you?

im not sure the exact date i moved in. im not sure what else to say about that.

That's okay. Even a rough year is fine. And does anyone else live in the apartment with you, or do you live there alone?

im not sure, sorry. i dont know what to tell you.

No need to be sorry, Teresa. This is a lot to go through, and you're welcome to take a break if you need one. When it comes to the apartment, what would you most like to happen: to stay there, or to move somewhere else?

i just want to keep my apartment.

I understand. One more thing about the $38,000 hospital bill: is that from Palmetto General itself, or has a collection company started contacting you about it?

its from the hospital, Palmetto General. im not sure about a collection company.

Thank you, Teresa, you've given a clear picture of a lot of difficult things. Is there anything else you'd like the firm to know about the fall, your wrist, the hospital bill, or the apartment? It's completely fine if there's nothing more.

no, i just want to keep my apartment.

I understand, Teresa. Thank you for reaching out and for taking the time to go through all of this with me, even when it was hard. The firm will review what you shared and reach out if they can help. Take care of yourself.

ok thank you.

You're welcome, Teresa. Take care.