Welsh v. Ohanesian

Plaintiff, a tenant, was injured in a fall which occurred on the front steps of defendant’s building. On the date of the accident (June 13, 1960) there was only one handrail on the stairs in question. In his action to recover damages plaintiff alleged general grounds of negligence and, specifically, that defendant violated section 42 of the State housing law1 which requires handrails on both sides of any stairway in multiple dwellings. Defendant’s answer denied such allegations and asserted contributory negligence as an affirmative defense.

At the close of plaintiff’s proofs, defendant made a…