Balcony collapse injury attorneys mention that in Beaufort County, South Carolina, county administrators are under fire for hiring building inspectors without adequately checking their backgrounds and credentials. 61-year-old Larry Fields and 66-year-old Harold Cosby, stand accused of felony charges of “offering, soliciting, giving, or receiving” something of value “to influence action of a public employee, official, or member.” (In other words, they stand accused on bribery-related charges.)
And Chuck Atkinson, hired to work in Beaufort County, was linked to a balcony collapse at Jefferson Commons in Port Royal several years before the Beaufort County controversyarose. Our balcony collapse injury attorneys point out that the balcony failed in a structure inspected by Atkinson and injured a 72-year-old man. The balcony failure led to the revocation of Atkinson’s boss’s state-issued license and to at least 2 lawsuits.
Atkinson understandably did not list his Port Royal job on his resume when he applied for the Beaufort County job. Investigations of the specific chain of events and multiple inspections prior to the Jefferson Commons balcony collapse concluded that Atkinson wasn’t at fault. His inspections occurred while the structure was incomplete. His boss, Lemieux, bore the brunt of the investigation’s fault findings, for failing to make a thorough final inspection of the structure.
But some people in both Port Royal and Beaufort County contend that hiring Atkinson might have been a mistake. Yet County Administrator Kubic stands behind the hiring and the lack of fault findings relating to Atkinson in the Jefferson Commons incident.
Still, the controversy brings to light the critical role of qualified inspectors and thorough building inspections in ensuring your safety in any structure. You can learn more about some of the factors leading to dangerous building collapses in our balcony collapse injury attorneys’ post discussing the topic here.
The dedicated structural collapse attorneys at Denena & Points note that a worker employed on the $130 million Boulder Community Foothills Hospital expansion project in Boulder, CO recently died when the steel canopy he and other workers were on suddenly collapsed beneath them. The steel-beamed canopy fell about 15 or 20 feet to strike the worker from behind as he toppled from the collapsing structure. One worker suffered severe injuries in the steel canopy collapse and another nearby worker suffered minor injuries. A crane lifted the steel canopy off of the fatally injured worker.
OSHA, the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration closed the construction site for the purposes of an investigation of the site and the contracting company. OSHA investigates when work accidents result in a fatality or in 3 or more injuries. The site of the fatal steel canopy collapse is the future home of the Boulder hospital’s Anderson Medical Center. The Center is planned as a 46.000 square foot complex that would house a cardiac center, offices, and an outpatient center.
Our structural collapse attorneys point out that contractor violations are not the only possible causes behind collapse of a steel canopy structure. Other causes implicated in structural collapses of the past include:
If you’ve been injured in a structural collapse incident, contact our experienced structural collapse attorneys for a free and confidential legal consultation and case evaluation regarding your accident. Our practical knowledge and experience regarding such injury accidents could help you find your way to the full financial recovery you deserve for your injuries.
The structural collapse attorneys at Denena & Points remark that over the past year, Harlem in New York City has seen a sequence of dangerous building collapses that has left residents, construction industry experts, city officials, and safety advocates concerned. Among the building collapses are the following incidents:
Our structural collapse attorneys note that contractors and the city that regulates them have a duty to protect workers, local residents, and passersby from the dangers presented by construction and demolition activities. NYC Department of Buildings employees and architects have commented on some of the problems within construction and demolition activity in the city.
The NYC DOB mentioned that it created dozens of new construction safety laws since 2008 to address some of the problems, but that there remains room for improvement. The DOB said it has also created new inspection units to target changes within the construction industry. But at least one architect commented that the agency should assign more inspectors to the areas that have seen an upswing in construction activity.
Industry officials worry that they have seen an increasing tendency to use inexperienced (but inexpensive) workers on construction projects that really require workers experienced with that type of activity and its safety issues and requirements.
Our structural collapse attorneys note that NYC has some of the oldest buildings in the nation. And the small area of the densely populated city make for an ongoing sequence of demolition of old buildings to make way for newer ones. Until dangerous safety issues are fully addressed, the city could continue to see injuries and fatalities from sudden building collapses.
Read more about the fatal Columbia University warehouse collapse in our in-depth article.
Balcony collapse lawyers announce that the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio has published the results of the first study based on nationwide data relating to injuries received in balcony fallsthat resulted in emergency room visits.
The study used data for 1990 through 2006 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission). The study analyzed data relating to balcony (and porch, deck, veranda, patio, and terrace) falls among both children and adults aged 18 years and over. Researchers concluded that stricter laws and building codes are needed to make climbing on balcony barriers more difficult for children. Our balcony collapse lawyers note that some of the study’s key findings include the following points:
If you’ve been injured in a fall from a balcony or other collapsed structure and you would like to learn about your legal options for seeking just financial compensation, contact our experienced balcony collapse lawyers for a free and confidential legal consultation. The Board Certified personal injury lawyers at Denena & Points are among the very small percentage of the nation’s lawyers to have actual hands-on experiencing handling balcony fall cases for injured clients. Our valuable practical experience could be your key to a successful financial recovery after your traumatic fall.
Structural collapse lawyers note that a costly crane collapse in Liverpool, England that permanently paralyzed the crane operator has been blamed on failures to properly calculate weight loads and to create a proper foundation for the huge tower crane. The heavy tower crane was being used in an industrial area redevelopment project called the Kings Dock Mill project. Two companies, Bowmer and Kirkland as the principal contractors and Bingham and Davies Ltd. as the structural engineers, are being held accountable for the disastrous collapse that cost one father of four his mobility and cost millions in structural damages when the crane collapsed on the adjacent Chandlers Wharf apartment complex.
56-ton counterweights went through the apartment complex roof. The structural collapse lawyers at Denena & Points emphasize that fortunately, most residents of the complex were away at work, and no injuries to Chandlers Wharf residents resulted from the collapse.
The crane operator was hurled from the crane’s cab 200 feet up in the air when the crane pulled loose from its foundation and toppled backward. Miraculously, the crane operator survived. But his injuries were extensive, and he has no memory of the accident. He was unable to testify in court proceedings regarding the disaster. His injuries included: a fractured skull, a broken shoulder, some crush injuries on his left side, multiple broken ribs, two serious fractures to his sternum, paralysis to his legs, and severe spinal injuries.
The prosecution team in the crane collapse injury case pointed to serious miscalculations regarding the crane’s foundations and to safety breaches that resulted in poor construction of the crane’s base. 4 underground columns of concrete were to be bolstered by a metal reinforcement bar to form the foundation for the tower crane in the Kings Dock Mill project. But instead, the decision was taken to drill four 20-millimeter steel dowels into the foundation structure in order to make them fit. Unfortunately, this rendered the crane foundation dangerously unstable and made it insufficient to support the weight and movement of the crane and its loads above. The prosecutor stated that it was a question of “when” rather than “if” the crane would collapse.
This is because shearing forces from the crane’s movement would have tended to gradually pull apart metal fasteners securing the crane to its base. And indeed, witnesses reported that a loud rumbling noise heralded the crane’s collapse as it wobbled and then buckled from the base, finally toppling over backwards and sending the crane operator into a dramatic, near fatal fall.
Our structural collapse lawyers understand that the stress loads generated by the crane’s operation were simply too great for the connections between the 4 piles and the pile cap that formed the base of the crane. The shearing forces caused the feet of the tower crane to lift. Finally, the feet lifted too far and cause the entire crane to buckle and overturn. A large part of the blame has fallen on Bingham Davies’ erroneous calculations regarding the loads that would be generated on the piles. The prosecutor said, “This case concerns corporate failure – one of the clearest cases of its kind.” Learn more about the construction of tower cranesthrough our structural collapse lawyers’ post on the topic.
The building collapse attorneys at Denena & Points have been writing about the deadly Harlem warehouse collapse at the Columbia University expansion site as an example of the type of collapse often caused by weakened structural connections. In a previous article, we had noted the statements of Breeze National, a subcontractor on the site, that indicated the collapse was due to an unexpected beam connection configuration and weakened connecting bolts.
As an aside, we mentioned that companies involved in the work on the site had previous code violations and had been connected in the past to New York-area crime families. Further details have come out on the contractor over the site, Bovis Lend Lease. Bovis has been bound by a legal agreement since 2008 that required the company to reform its safety practices.
The 5-year binding non-prosecution agreement resulted after a deadly fire at the Deutsche Bank building in Manhattan in 2007 that cost the lives of two New York firefighters. Investigations into the causes of the fatal blaze uncovered serious mistakes by both Bovis Lend Lease employees and employees of its subcontractor on the Deutsche Bank site. (Our building collapse attorneys note that the subcontractor at that time was not Breeze National.)
The Manhattan DA’s office apparently isn’t saying whether Bovis has actually been complying with the non-prosecution agreement. The terms of the agreement required Bovis to hire an independent monitor to determine whether Bovis hired competent sub-contractors on its work sites and whether the company’s new safety initiatives were actually effective. The independent monitor had to submit semi-annual reports with its findings to the city. The Manhattan DA’s office maintains that the contents of the reports are not public; therefore it is not releasing details of the independent monitor’s conclusions on Bovis’ safety practices compliance.
Our building collapse attorneys continue to follow the tragic story of the Harlem warehouse collapse with attention. The unfolding story demonstrates how the actual causes behind a fatal structural collapse can be complex and varied. The negligent parties at fault for the accident might involve a sequence of companies and business connections not readily apparent.
Grieving family members seeking redress for their tragic losses might not know where to turn in their quest for proper compensation. If you’ve lost a loved one to a deadly structural collapse, you would do well to seek the help of knowledgeable and experienced building collapse attorneys that can help you uncover the causes behind the accident and the evidence you need to prove your claims.
If you’ve suffered the devastating loss of a family member to a building collapse caused by someone else’s negligence and you have questions, feel free to contact our dedicated building collapse attorneys for a confidential legal consultation and case evaluation. Your initial consultation is free and it could provide you with the understanding of your legal options that you need to make informed decisions about what to do. Call toll free 877-307-9500 or use our online contact forms.
The Texas balcony collapse attorneys at Denena & Points want you to know your rights to a safe and fit place to live. Section 92 of the Texas Property Code and the TX Attorney General’s website can provide you with good insight to your rights and your landlord’s responsibilities under the law.
For instance, as a tenant you have the right to a place free of any adverse condition that would materially affect your safety or health. A landlord that rents you a place to live essentially guarantees that the place is a fit place for you to live in quiet enjoyment of a safe and healthful environment.
A Texas renter that lives with an unsafe condition that the landlord won’t repair can go to the local Justice of the Peace to get a repair order against the landlord from the JP court. If the landlord still doesn’t repair the unsafe condition, you might have the right to end your lease. But you have to follow specific steps before you can validly end the lease. The Texas Attorney General’s website specifies the steps you can take and the remedies available to tenants suffering in unsafe leased properties.
See our Texas balcony collapse attorneys’ in-depth article on landlord responsibilities to learn more about what you can do if you’re living in an unsafe property.
The building collapse injury attorneys at Denena & Points note that on Thursday morning just before 8 a.m. at Broadway and West 130th Street, a 1915 warehouse structure that was being taken down to make way for new construction suddenly collapsed on top of workers at the site. Three workers were rescued from the rubble.
Two of the workers were partially buried in the debris. One of these workers has since died from his injuries. Another worker was completely buried by the building’s rubble in the northwest corner of the site. Rescuers had to tunnel through the building’s wreckage to reach the trapped workers. One of the surviving workers is listed in serious condition, while the other worker is classified as critical after the fatal building collapse in Manhattan.
Our building collapse injury attorneys point out that the 1915 two-story warehouse was being demolished as part of an expansion of Columbia University. The main campus of Columbia resides in West Harlem near Broadway and 125th Street. The new Manhattanville campus, for which this warehouse was undergoing demolition, has been plagued by problems from the start. The problems include: community protests, eminent domain lawsuits, and city code violations at the site.
The New York City Department of Buildings had already issued citations earlier this month to the site. Other citations were issued the very day of the building collapse. The safety violations included:
Reportedly, demolition workers were taking down the warehouse one floor at a time. A structural beam was cut, and moments later, the entire structure suddenly collapsed on the unprepared workers.
The fatal Manhattan building collapse has led the Manhattan Borough President to issue calls for a full investigation of the disaster by the Department of Buildings (DOB). DOB officials say human error is a possibility.
The closely packed structures of Manhattan make ordinary demolition activity using controlled explosives unusually dangerous. So some building demolitions require structures to be taken down the old-fashioned way, by careful disassembly of bricks, mortar, and beams.
Our building collapse injury attorneys note that cutting of structural members, even in a careful demolition process, is an activity always fraught with danger. And in older buildings, where connecting beams and other structural members might already be in weakened or compromised condition, the activity becomes even more dangerous.
Learn more about the dangers of building collapses. Read our building collapse injury attorneys’ article on weak structural connections as a cause of deadly building collapses.
Texas work accident attorneys point out that many crane-related work accidents can be prevented if crane operators, owners, and site supervisors take the time to inspect and test a mobile crane’s components and operations prior to placing the equipment into service on a job site. To ensure safety of workers at the site, they need to know the crane’s operation, load, and counterweight capacities; the area through which the swing arm will operate and its load move; the location of above-ground power lines, cables, and other structures that could interfere with crane movement; and any job site restrictions.
We provide a short list of some important safety considerations in mobile crane operations on a site:
Crane owners, operators, and site supervisors can help prevent dangerous accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities. Their careful planning, inspections of the mobile crane’s components and structural integrity, and understanding of the crane’s capabilities and limitations could save lives and compensation costs from needless injuries. Our Texas work accident attorneys emphasize that a solid safety plan and thorough training of site employees in safety procedures costs less in time and dollars than the aftermath of a serious work accident.
Learn the steps to take after a serious work accident if you or a family member suffers injury. Contact the experienced Texas work accident attorneys at Denena & Points for a free and confidential legal consultation. We could explain your available legal options to you and help you understand your potential for a full financial recovery for your injuries. Contact us online or toll free at 877-307-9500.
Structural collapse attorneys note that a tower crane being used to build a new block of flats in Battersea, U.K. suddenly collapsed and crushed a man washing his car at his own home nearby. The collapse also pulled down a balcony on the occupied set of flats. The force of the 2006 collapse also killed the crane operator who was hurled out of the cab 165 feet to the ground.
An in-depth investigation followed the deadly tower crane accident. Investigators pinned the cause of the fatal crane collapse on use of the wrong operating manual. It turns out that the contractor at the site did not possess the manual governing use of the tower crane operating at the site. And the manual that the contractor did possess, for another type of crane, was missing several critical pages. So the contractor used 12.2 tons of concrete to balance the crane’s load, when that particular model of tower crane could only safely use 8 tons of concrete counterweights.
Our structural collapse attorneys point out that tower cranes like the one involved in the Battersea crane collapse use a series of rollers called a “slew ring” to control its motion through 360 degrees. The slew ring is fixed to the body of the crane with a series of 24 bolts. The bolts must be regularly inspected and their tightness adjusted periodically for the crane to operate safely. The stress on the bolts doubles for every additional 50% overloading of weight on the crane.
Over time, the tower crane that collapsed in Battersea suffered enormous stress due to overloading. Our structural collapse attorneys read that just two months before the collapse, 4 bolts had fractured and another 10 were found to have loosened. The bolts were unfortunately replaced using instructions for the wrong crane and from the wrong manual.
Then, on the day of the deadly crane collapse, when the 12.2 tons of concrete counterweights were added to the 8-ton capacity crane, the extra weight pulled the crane over backwards. It fell heavily over 165 feet to land in a crumpled heap. It took 4 days to extract from the wreckage the body of the man who had been innocently washing his car nearby.
In spite of the deadly toll taken by ignorance and negligence in this incident, the Crown Prosecutor found that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal prosecution against the contractor. However, the absence of a criminal prosecution should not bar the victims’ surviving family members from filing civil claims to recover financial recompense if they wish to proceed.
Sometimes it’s the simple things that lie at the heart of the messiest accidents. A simple assumption that one crane manual was as good as another cost two men in Battersea their lives. If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one to negligence and you need to know if you’re eligible to proceed with a civil claim, feel free to contact our concerned structural collapse attorneys with your questions. We offer a free and confidential initial legal consultation/case evaluation that could help you understand your rights and available legal options for pursuing just financial compensation. You can reach us toll free at 877-307-9500 or use our online contact features to schedule your free consultation. And we won’t charge you attorneys’ fees unless you win your case.