The Houston crane collapse lawyers at Denena & Points mention that on February 8th, a huge 250-foot crane collapsed at the Kent County Jail in Michigan where new jail construction was underway. The massive crane has remained collapsed in an enormous mound of wreckage, just as it fell, while numerous insurers and investigators examine the wreckage for causes of the collapse.
Insurers and injured parties alike seek definitive proof of whom to blame for the frightening crane collapse accident. Two inmates and a construction worker suffered minor injuries from the crane collapse. Our Houston crane collapse lawyers note that fortunately, no one was seriously injured or killed in the collapse of the massive structure.
But costs resulting from the crane collapse are nonetheless expected to be enormous. A Kent County Undersheriff said the costs from the crane collapse are expected to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The projected costs include:
Whether a manufacturing defect, operator error, inattentive maintenance, or some other factor caused the crane cable to snap, this short list of some of the massive expenses from the crane collapse shows how expensive a single crane collapse can be.
If you’ve been injured because of a crane collapse, you probably already know about the mounting medical expenses such a disaster can cause. The practical experience and in-depth legal knowledge of our Houston crane collapse lawyers could help you win the fair financial compensation you need to meet the heavy burden caused by your medical expenses and time lost from work. Contact us today for a free and confidential legal consultation. Our Houston crane collapse lawyers could help you understand your legal options for recovery and your available paths to full financial recovery.
Houston crane accident attorneys discuss a fatal Manhattan tower crane accident that provides a clear example of the importance of sound crane components to U.S. worker safety. In Manhattan in May 2008, a large, heavy tower crane suddenly collapsed when a component part gave way causing the structure of the crane to collapse. The sudden crane collapse sent the tower crane’s operator, 30-year-old Donald Leo tumbling 140 feet to his death. The deadly crane collapse also killed a worker on the ground, 27-year-old Ramadan Kurtaj. The crane collapse at 91st Street and 1st Avenue occurred at the site of construction of a luxury high-rise tower.
66-year-old James Lomma, crane boss at the Manhattan construction site, stands accused of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and other crimes stemming from the deadly crane collapse. The charges allege that Lomma knowingly replaced a defective part in the tower crane with a cheap (and inadequate) replacement part from China in order to save money, and that the failure of the cheap part caused the tower crane to suddenly collapse at the construction site.
Our Houston crane accident attorneys emphasize that tower cranes stand about 150 high, and must lift loads up to nearly 20 tons (40,000 pounds) in weight. Because of their size, weight, and potential instability, tower cranes present enormous dangers at construction sites. Because of their danger, OSHA (the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration) has promulgated very specific rules regarding their use and operation. The huge tower cranes are subject to extreme stresses as they maneuver heavy loads in a confined space and through prescribed arcs.
To do the required jobs, tower cranes require sound components without defects. The weight of the structure of the tower crane itself can simply crush a cheap part. Then the part of thetower structure that relied on that component for support collapses, with deadly results. The deaths of the two workers at the Upper Manhattan construction site were unnecessary. Substituting a substandard, cheap component for a component of the required strength and durability is more than simply negligent. Had a proper repair and replacement been made on the tower crane before placing it back into use, Daniel Leo and Ramadan Kurtaj might still be alive.
If you’ve lost a loved one to a Texas crane accident, contact our Houston crane accident attorneys for a free and confidential legal consultation. We have more than 12 years of experience successfully holding negligent defendants accountable for the harm they’ve caused to victims and their families. Our practical experience and in-depth knowledge of the legal issues involved in a fatal crane accident could help put you on the road to a full financial recovery for the loss you’ve suffered.
Money can never replace the special role that a lost loved one played in your life, but it can send an important message to the negligent parties that caused your loss and motivate careful prevention of future accidents. And your recovery could also pay your expenses from the tragic loss, and help you to move forward n life again. Don’t let defendants get away with the negligence that hurt you. Hold them accountable for their actions. Our Houston crane accident attorneys could help you recover. Call today at 877-307-9500 or use our convenient web contact features to schedule your free consultation/case evaluation.
Not long ago our structural collapse attorneys brought you the story of the partial collapse of a busy road in Bangladesh that endangered several nearby buildings. The endangered buildings included several residential high-rise towers whose residents suffered some moments of panic in the wake of the collapse.
The partial road collapse resulted from the failure of structural supports in an abutting foundation excavation for another high-rise. When the foundation excavation collapsed in upon itself, it brought part of the road down with it, as well as a nearby retaining wall. It placed at least one nearby building in imminent danger of collapse.
Authorities in Bangladesh have investigated the structural collapse and identified a number of causes:
The Rajuk charged the site owner with violation of the terms of his building approval, lack of proper safety measures, and violation of the indemnity bond. But the Rajuk has also allowed the builder to re-commence construction after the accident. Our structural collapse attorneys think the move by the Rajuk to approve continued construction might be unwise. We hope that we are wrong and that no further structural collapses and injuries result from the building efforts at Circuit House Road.
The structural collapse accident lawyers at Denena & Points note some positive international efforts to address the needs of victims affected by the dangers of sudden structural collapses. Leaders at the recent international Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2012 called for standardized response procedures for dealing with the structural collapses that accompany large-scale disasters. A U.S. Fire Rescue station commander speaking at the conference recommended standardized procedures for international cooperation. His recommendations include a standard language to define searches in urban areas, wider information sharing among rescuing agencies, and greater cooperation.
Urban searches work to locate, extricate, and provide medical treatment and relief for victims trapped by structural collapses. These urban searches provide a central focus of activity following large-scale man-made and natural disasters. Recent examples of such disasters include the deadly, earthquake-generated tsunamis that caused such widespread devastation in Japan and Indonesia.
Major urban search efforts after a disaster are often hampered by lack of information sharing, gaps in decision making among different groups of rescuers, lack of cooperation, absence of good technology and digital data, and lack of guidelines for sharing available data. As Khalid Khalifa, the head of the Middle East and Asia Bureau Integrated Regional Information Network succinctly pointed out, “The right information at the right time through the right channels can save lives….” The Conference made some recommendations for large-scale crisis management that included use of similar equipment, training, strategies, and planning among regional agencies.
Our structural collapse accident lawyers emphasize that timely response is mission critical when victims have been trapped in collapsed structures. Coordinated response efforts, standardized techniques and procedures, and cooperation among responding agencies can help eliminate some delay and gaps in the decision making chain, and enhance the chances of trapped victims’ survival.
Our structural collapse attorneys have learned that four construction workers suffered injuries on Monday afternoon when the partially complete building they were working on collapsed around them. The building was in Washington County on FM 389 near Brenham.
Wind advisories were issued for Washington County where the men were building the structure. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph were in the forecast. Sheriff J.W. Jancowski of Washington County speculated that the high winds in the area at the time might have caused a worker to lose his balance and grab onto building rafters for support. He indicated that the extra weight on the structural members might have caused the top of the building to collapse on the men.
The four workers were thrown to the ground in the collapse. All four received transport to hospitals for their injuries. Two of the men were listed in critical condition after the structural collapse accident.
The unfortunate injuries suffered by these men illustrate the vulnerability of man-made structures to the high forces of wind. Texans are accustomed to news of buildings swept away by the high wind forces of hurricanes and tornadoes, but your insurance company can tell you that it doesn’t take extreme storm winds to damage a structure.
Partially completed structures don’t yet have the full structural integrity intended by the architect. This makes them particularly vulnerable to the effects of external forces like high winds, water damage, and aridity. The right combination of excess force, such as a heavy man suspending his weight on a rafter already suffering under high wind conditions, can exceed the load carrying capacity of a partially complete structure that doesn’t yet have its full array of supporting members and connections.
If you’ve been injured by a structural collapse, contact our experienced structural collapse attorneys for a free consultation about your accident. Tony Denena and Chad Points stand among the nation’s few lawyers who have actual, in-depth experience handling structural collapse cases. They could bring their practical legal knowledge and experience of the intricacies and technical complexities of structural collapse cases to bear on your accident injury claim. A full financial recovery for your injuries could be your benefit from hiring the right structural collapse attorneys. Look for practical experience and a winning track record. Look to Denena & Points.
Structural collapse attorneys point out that the economic and building boom in India combines with poor building oversight to produce alarming numbers of deadly building collapses. The 1-story structure that just collapsed after an LPG cylinder exploded is merely the latest disaster. 5 people were killed in the building collapse, and 4 others were injured.
The building collapsed in Railway Colony in the Mundka section of Delhi, India’s capital. The explosion took place while some of the laborers at the building were cooking. Police stated that the 1-story structure was weak, which caused it to completely collapse on the people inside shortly after the gas explosion. No one seems to have been injured by the explosion itself.
As the capital of India, Delhi is at the very center of that nation’s economic and building boom. As more and more people converge on the capital looking for work, buildings go up quickly and with little oversight to house them all. An Indian newspaper calls it “Delhi’s building mess.”
Building after building collapses, most taking a toll in lives. In just one Delhi building collapse disaster, 66 people died.
But solving the problem of shoddy construction and deadly building collapses won’t be easy. India’s capital is a bustling hive of activity with an enormous population. Just pinpointing builders and buildings in need of oversight presents a challenge for which no one seems to have quite enough time or energy. India’s growth spurt has brought bad along with the good.
Currently, officials in India seem to be playing the blame game. But as more people become affected by the deadly problem of Delhi’s building mess, the time quickly approaches when they’ll have to take positive action to solve the problem.
Here in the United States, where we’re currently experiencing a severe economic downturn and stagnant building activity, building codes and oversight procedures stand well established. But even still, each year sees a few deadly structural collapses.
Our experienced structural collapse attorneys at Denena & Points are here to help if you’ve been injured by a structural collapse accident. As one of the few law firms in the nation with long-term experience handling balcony collapse accidents, we well know how to address the technical and evidentiary complexities of your case. Call us at 877-307-9500 to schedule your free accident consultation.
An apartment building under construction in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, NY collapsed Tuesday, November 8, 2011 with 5 workers inside. A concrete supplier says that the Brighton Beach building collapse occurred just as concrete from his truck was being pumped up onto the 2nd and 3rd floors. So far, it looks like the 2nd floor of the apartment building collapsed under the weight of the concrete. Then the 3rd floor followed in the Brighton Beach building collapse. Our building collapse lawyers mention that one “official” theory behind the collapse of the NYC World Trade Center twin towers on 9/11/01 postulates a similar floor collapse scenario.
Building collapse lawyers well know that floors might suffer sequential collapse like that in the Brighton Beach building collapse for a number of reasons. A few possible reasons follow.
Inadequate joists supporting the floors.
Poor connections between structural members.
Use of nails where bolts were needed.
Poor calculation of live load and dead load support needs.
Use of cheap, weak structural materials.
News accounts of the dramatic Brighton Beach building collapse mention that just on Saturday, the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) received a complaint from a local resident of the neighborhood that construction on the apartment building was proceeding “after hours.” In NYC, the wheels of the DOB turn slowly. Sometimes construction might reach completion before permit applications receive approval. News reports mention that several open permits existed on the apartment building undergoing construction in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.
DOB rules, however, are meticulous. Nighttime construction in residential neighborhoods is generally our of the question. Although it happens all the time.
NYC residents, especially in the outer boroughs, know hat construction often proceeds without adequate permits and after hours. Workers might be immigrant day laborers with little or no oversight and little professional experience in construction.
The NYC Corporation Counsel’s Code Enforcement Unit has a constant, heavy caseload against builders, road workers, and others operating without adequate permits or in violation of their permits. The permit violations provide a constant, if minuscule, source of City revenue. I doubt that the fines even pay for the operation of the Code Enforcement Unit, but I might be wrong in that regard.
5 workers were inside the partially completed apartment building when the Brighton Beach building collapse occurred. Rescue workers strove frantically to dig them out of the rubble of the collapsed structure. When extracted from the rubble of the apartment building, one sturdy worker refused medical treatment. One worker went into cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in critical condition. Three other workers with injuries were listed in stable condition at Lutheran Medical Center.
It’s a minor miracle that no one was killed under the weight of the suddenly collapsing concrete and (inadequate) support structure in this Brighton Beach building collapse. Our building collapse lawyers are relieved that no fatalities or further injuries occurred in this catastrophic apartment building collapse.
This structural collapse attorney recently read that Indiana’s lawmakers so far are taking a wait and see approach before they change any laws in response to the stage collapse at the 2011 Indiana State Fair. Some discussion is under way to raise the state’s liability cap from $5 million to $15 million. $5 million represents a paltry sum for a case like the State Fair stage collapse, which killed and injured so many people. But some legislators have already raised strong objections to the idea of raising the cap.
Uncertainty also remains whether evacuation and emergency procedures will change. The State Fair might change some of its procedures independently. As yet, officials and lawmakers seem content to wait and see the results of the investigations conducted by two independent firms hired by the state. Those results won’t be available until at least mid-April 2012.
In the meantime, injured victims of the State Fair stage collapse, and surviving family members of those who needlessly died in the collapse, have filed more than 60 lawsuits. Their structural collapse attorneys no doubt have commenced investigations of their own.
One thing is clear. Many mistakes played a part in the State Fair stage collapse and in the injuries and fatalities resulting from it. Officials did not cancel the planned stage performance, when other outdoor venues around the region did cancel theirs. Officials did not make a timely evacuation of the area. Procedures and communications lines seem to have been unclear or confused in the matter.
The speakers hanging above the stage appear to have dropped like rocks. They may have been hung with shackles not rated for overhead lifting, or they may have been hung with shackles on a 1:1 weight ratio. It’s always safer to have at least a 3:1 margin, preferably a 10:1 for outdoor public performances where wind could present a factor.
The stage itself was about 15 years old. After 15 years of use through all kinds of weather conditions, it might no longer have been fit for use.
The state’s current liability cap might limit the amount of compensation that victims harmed by the State Fair stage collapse could obtain from Indiana for the state’s negligence in the matter. But other negligent parties might share the blame for the disastrous structural collapse accident. Victims’ personal injury structural collapse attorneys will no doubt be diligent in identifying all of the parties at fault to ensure that their clients have a fair opportunity to receive just compensation for the harm they’ve suffered because of this horrific, but preventable, accident.
When buying real estate, your concern is “location, location, location.” And maybe price. When building real estate, the concern is “connections, connections, connections.” And price again. I’m not talking about fun social networking connections, but about the physical connections between the various components that make up your structure.
A primary cause of balcony, porch and deck collapses is the sudden breaking of the connection between the platform structure and the house. In some cases, the structural collapse occurs because the platform is only nailed into the main building. The nails pull out first, then the whole structure pulls away and falls.
But bolts won’t always do the trick either. Even with a solid ledger board, sheathing and siding between the ledger and the building’s band joist make the connection inherently weak. Sometimes a band joist doesn’t even exist where you’d expect one. At other times, the band joist has pulled away from the house.
Frank Woeste, P.E., Ph.D, a structural engineer, suggests that using exterior posts attached to the main building to support the deck ledger would provide a better solution. Then the ledger would have a support upon which to exert any downward stress, rather than exerting it by shearing out nails or bolts from the wall. Dr. Woeste also cautions against the weakness inherent in using 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 band joists.
But most people wanting to add a new deck, porch, or balcony aren’t going to conduct extensive investigation of the nature of their band joists first. They certainly aren’t going to alter their home exterior by adding support posts attached to the building. They may build the deck themselves.
But even professional contractors don’t always have all the information they need to build a safe and sturdy deck, balcony, or porch. Building codes tell them that these platform structures must support a 40 psf (per square foot) live load, and 50 psf including the dead load of the structure itself. But the building codes don’t really clarify how to do this.
Building codes don’t tell them about lateral loads or how to make secure connections between their deck and their home. And many, maybe even most, decks never receive inspections after they’re built. Many inspectors might not even know precisely what to look for in inspecting these types of platform structures.
Not every structural collapse occurs because the platform structure is old and weakened over time. Some structural collapses occur mere days or weeks after construction.
The resulting injuries are often catastrophic or even fatal. Victims are left to seek recourse through civil compensation claims. Our experienced structural collapse lawyers could help you win just financial compensation for your severe losses from a deck, porch, or balcony collapse. But we realize that no amount of financial compensation can bring back a beloved family member or your own health and well being after a serious structural collapse accident.
If you’ve suffered injury from a structural collapse caused by negligent building, maintenance, or inspection, contact us for a free consultation about your accident. We could help you understand your legal options, any obstacles you might face to your claim, and your potential outcomes in the case. We could protect your legal rights in the matter and help you make a full financial recovery for your injuries. Call today.
Michael Beaudry is Executive Vice President of NADRA, the North American Decking and Railing Association. He ties many of the estimated 225,000 injuries from stair, railing, and deck collapse failures from 2003 to 2008 to the advanced age of the structures.
Mr. Beaudry believes that contractors and dealers in decking supplies should make it part of their jobs to promote safety issues to the homeowners building the structures. His message is that part of that emphasis on safety would include warning homeowners about the potential dangers of collapse from aging structures.
Michael Beaudry suggests reaching out to America’s approximately 309,000 homeowners associations. Some of these associations have already become more safety conscious regarding outdoor structures, since many insurance companies require annual inspections to ensure code compliance and safety.
NADRA estimates place more than half of the approximately 40 million decks in America at more than 20 years old. Mr. Beaudry stated that many injuries occur because the structures are near the end of their useful lives. He says that it’s not that the structures were built wrong, but that decks, porches and balconies are outdoor products. And it’s a natural progression that over time they need to be replaced. He did concede that some of the structural failures could be blamed on more lenientbuilding codes of the past.
Mr. Beaudry admits that the increased safety awareness would likely result in a greater sales volume when concerned homeowners replaced their older decks. Money is a great motivator. If it takes additional profit to get dealers and builders thinking about your safety, at least it raises safety concerns.
As porch, balcony, and deck collapse attorneys, we generally see safety concerns raised only after the fact by liability issues from a deck collapse. And isn’t it better to raise safety concerns before a deck collapses and injured you?
Our experienced porch, balcony, and deck collapse attorneys will be here to help you if you do receive injuries from a falling deck or other structure. We’re here to help if you lose loved ones to a tragic structural collapse.
We could help you recover the monetary compensation you deserve to become financially whole again after your accident. We could also help you hold accountable those whose negligence caused the structural collapse. But we could all benefit more if increased safety awareness and efforts can prevent the negligence behind many of those injurious structural collapses.