Yet another reason to turn your music down: you might cause a building collapse. You probably know from experience that when music goes loud enough; you feel it in your bones. That’s part of the appeal. And most structures can withstand the vibrations caused by typically loud club music. But any hidden weakness in a structure might be exacerbated by seemingly minor factors like music volume or the vibrations caused by dancing feet. Our ceiling collapse injury attorneys have written several prior articles on how resonant frequencies, harmonics, and other factors might combine to cause unexpected structural collapses. And early on Saturday morning in Chicago, the ceiling of a club collapsed on dancing patrons: the early diagnosis of a contributing cause of the collapse points to vibrations from loud music. The ceiling collapse occurred at the Concord Music Hall on North Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square. A 2×3 foot section of the plaster ceiling on the third floor fell atop three dancing patrons, sending one to the hospital with critical injuries and two others to the hospital with less serious injuries. We mention the recent theatre ceiling collapse in London that injured dozens for those who may doubt that plaster ceilings could cause serious injuries. Plaster actually weighs quite a lot. For example, an ornate plaster ceiling composed of numerous rosettes in the DeGolyer mansion at the Dallas Arboretum weighs more than 3500 pounds, and is held in place partly by a steel structure. It’s inspected every year for safety. After the ceiling collapse at the Concord Music Hall in Chicago, the owner of the building removed a 4×8 foot section of the third floor ceiling. The owner also retained a structural engineer to help find the cause of the accident. Preliminary investigations suggested that vibrations from the music helped cause the collapse. But our ceiling collapse injury attorneys point out that club music vibrations alone probably did not cause the ceiling collapse. Some pre-existing weakness(es) in the ceiling, possibly caused by moisture leakage through the roof, age of the structure, or inadequate maintenance or repairs, likely laid the foundation for the accident. Club and building owners have agreed to close the structure until further notice, and have indicated that they will cooperate with official investigations. (Rosemary Regina Sobol, Carlos, Sadovi, and Kate Thayer, The Chicago Tribune, 2/9/14)
Ceiling Collapses lead to Severe Injuries
Ceiling collapses and other sudden structural collapses are the sources of severe and sometimes fatal injuries to innocent victims who happen to be in the wrong places at the wrong times. Landlords and premises owners who neglect proper maintenance, safety inspections, and other procedures could be held financially liable for the full value of the injuries to these victims. Their liabilities might include the projected costs of life-long ongoing medical treatment and care necessitated by disabling injuries from the accident.
Contact the Experienced Ceiling Collapse Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC to Learn More about Your Options after a Serious Accident Injury
We offer a free and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your injury and evaluate your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery. We’ve worked with structural engineers to successfully resolve serious collapse claims across the nation, and we’re among the relative handful of attorneys with actual practical experience handling complex personal injury cases resulting from structural collapses. Call us at 713-807-9500 or just fill out our online contact form to schedule your free legal consultation.
Read More About Chicago Club Ceiling Collapse Injures 3, Blamed on Loud Music…