8 people, mostly family members, were on the deck after Thanksgiving dinner at a home rented by Anitra Page in Smyrna, Georgia when it suddenly collapsed beneath them. Witnesses said that the entire section of the deck closest to the home pulled away from the house and fell.
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Count of the Injured and Hospitalized from the Smyrna Deck Collapse
The 8 people, including a 2-year-old boy, were injured as they fell 10 feet to the ground below. 3 people received hospitalization with serious but non-life threatening injuries. One woman reportedly had part of a bone protruding from her leg. One of 3 people with the more serious injuries was the 2-year-old’s mother, who cradled him for safety as the group fell to the ground below. (Source: Mike Paluska, CBS Atlanta, 11/22/12)
Anitra Page said she had just moved into the rented home a few weeks ago. In what may have been her first big family gathering since the move-in, she suffered the pain of seeing family and friends injured as the deck suddenly collapsed after Thanksgiving dinner. The good wishes for rapid and full recoveries of our deck collapse injury attorneys go out to the injured victims. Our sympathies also go out to Ms. Page after the troubling end to her Thanksgiving party.
Possible Causes of Sudden Deck Collapse
Our structural collapse injury attorneys point out that many factors can contribute to the sudden collapse of a seemingly sound deck at a family holiday gathering:
- Poor construction,
- Use of nails rather than bolts to attach the deck to the house,
- Weakening from wear and rot,
- Water seepage into the connection of the deck to the house and consequent rot. Failure to use proper flashing at the ledger board permits water leakage into critical areas,
- Failure to properly maintain the deck,
- Gradual pulling away over time at the deck’s connection to the house, and
- Improper spacing of the connections to the house.
Our structural collapse injury attorneys emphasize that it’s important for homeowners to inspect their decks thoroughly at least once a year and to undertake needed maintenance and repairs immediately. Before renting a home to unsuspecting tenants, homeowners should always do careful inspections of decks, balconies, staircases, railings, and other such structures that are particularly prone to collapse.
It’s well worthwhile to perform proper inspections and maintenance. Failure to do so could lead to costly homeowner liability for any injuries or fatalities resulting from sudden structural collapses.
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