Superstorm Sandy, Surge, and Sudden Structural Slips

Learn about what Water can do to Damage and Collapse Your Buildings and Structures. Read this Article by our Structural Collapse Injury Attorneys and Check Your Buildings for Dangerous Structural Damage Immediately after a Major Storm

The worst of Superstorm Sandy has supposedly not even hit New York City at this hour. And already the façade of a four-story building in Chelsea, Manhattan has fallen off of the building leaving several comfortably decorated apartments exposed to high winds, rain, and whatever else the storm decides to hurl their way.

Collapsed Construction Crane Threatening West Midtown Manhattan

And a large construction crane atop a 65-story luxury skyscraper on Manhattan’s west side in Midtown has collapsed. Dramatic TV footage showed a substantial portion of the heavy crane dangling precariously over the street. Local streets have been closed off and adjacent buildings have been evacuated for safety. If high winds cause the massive crane to continue all the way over the side of the roof, parts of the crane could tear into the adjacent buildings as well as crushing anything in the street below.

News reports of the exact location of the collapsed crane indicate it could be looming above the 7th Avenue subway line, in which case a fall of the heavy piece of equipment could break through the street into the subway below. Much of New York City’s subway system was constructed very efficiently back in the day by digging out the street, installing the subway in the resulting trench, and covering over the train tunnel with a relatively thin layer of support that includes the tunnel roof and the street above.

The support is sufficient to support even NYC’s heavy truck traffic that brings supplies into the city. But whether it could withstand the impact of a heavy construction crane falling from 65 stories above is unlikely.

Surging Superstorm Sandy Swamping Coastal Areas

So far, Superstorm Sandy has caused a storm surge in the NYC area previously unseen since storm data has been recorded in the area. The next-closest storm surge dates from 1822 or so. Sandy has flooded subway tunnels, a tunnel connecting Brooklyn to and even the large aboveground highway arteries in east and west Manhattan. Damage from the storm is currently estimated to reach $20 billion, but I suspect it will run even higher once all costs are tabulated. There are some losses on which one can’t even put a real price.

Continued in Part 2.

Hamilton Heights partial apartment collapse causes 2 serious injuries

The apartment collapse injury attorneys at Denena & Points note a serious structural collapse accident in New York City this week. On Tuesday afternoon around 5:30 p.m., part of a second floor apartment collapsed in a 7-story building on W. 151st Street in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Harlem in Manhattan. The partial collapse of the second floor apartment seriously injured two people. The two victims remain hospitalized for their injuries in stable condition.

New York City police and firefighters closed streets in the area for safety as Department of Buildings inspectors checked the rest of the 7-story building for stability and safety. The inspectors were looking at the other apartments to determine if they posed dangers of further apartment collapses.

Thorough Accident Investigation and Inspection are Vital after a Building Collapse

Thorough investigations and inspections following such partial collapses are a critical tool in ensuring building safety. Determining the cause(s) of a structural collapse and how the collapse might have been prevented can help prevent other collapses and serious injuries in the future. Every piece of information the accident investigators and building inspectors can gather counts.

Our apartment collapse injury attorneys point out that every year dozens of people are injured and some die in partial collapses of structures at home. Balconies, decks, stairs, and apartment ceilings and floors have all grabbed headlines when they suddenly collapsed either completely or in part and injured, maimed, or killed residents and guests.

Large numbers of these structural collapse accidents and injuries might have been prevented. Better construction practices, materials, and maintenance are some of the ways such residential collapses and their resulting injuries and fatalities might have been prevented. By thoroughly investigating the cause(s) of building collapses and by learning from those that occur, we can move closer to the ultimate goal of preventing structural collapse-related injuries and fatalities.

Apartment Collapse Injury Attorneys: Free Legal Consultations

If you or a family member has been seriously injured in a structural collapse accident, you should contact the apartment collapse injury attorneys at Denena & Points to schedule a free legal consultation. Our Board Certified personal injuries lawyers are among the nation’s few attorneys to have practical, hands-on experience successfully representing clients in injury and wrongful death cases related to structural collapses.

Call or contact us online for your free case evaluation consultation and learn how we could help you make a full financial recovery for the needless harm you suffered as the result of a building collapse accident.

Back to college means large parties and deck collapse injuries

Just last week our deck collapse injury attorneys wrote about a serious deck collapse at a college keg party in Wisconsin that injured several people. And in the early hours of Saturday, another deck collapsed during a college party at a home in Richmond, KY on Amberly Way.

Reportedly 30 to 40 people were on the deck at the time of the deck collapse in Kentucky. A college senior named Michael Phelps and at least two other people were hospitalized in the sudden collapse. Michael Phelps’ mother said her son had several serious injuries that included a fractured skull as well as fracturing of all the bones in his face, bleeding around the brain, and a serious knee injury. Doctors project a six-month recovery period, which might delay his intended college graduation.

When the 2nd story deck on the back of the home on Amberly Way collapsed, it sent the 30 to 40 people on it tumbling onto a concrete porch one floor below. Michael Phelps had the misfortune to land face-first on the concrete after his fall. His mother knows he is just lucky to be alive.

Our deck collapse injury attorneys caution that deck collapse injuries can be fatal, particularly to anyone underneath a 2nd story deck when it fails. Even non-fatal falls can leave victims with long recovery periods, permanent disabilities, and immense medical bills. The need for ongoing medical care might last a lifetime.

The experienced deck collapse injury attorneys at Denena & Points could help you understand what to do after a dangerous deck collapse has injured you or a loved one. Learn about your available legal options, eligibility for just financial compensation for your injuries and expenses, and the steps you need to take to secure your financial recovery in the wake of serious injury.

The deck collapse injury attorneys at Denena & Points are among the very few injury lawyers in the nation with actual, hands on experience successfully obtaining high-dollar financial recoveries for the injured victims of structural collapses. We could help you win the financial recovery you need to cover your medical bills, the costs of ongoing medical care, lost wages, disabilities and disfigurements, pain and suffering, and other losses and expenses.

Let us help you recover. Call us toll free or contact us online to schedule a free and confidential legal consultation to learn about available solutions for the heavy financial burdens resulting from your painful injury.

Little concern seen in Burlington Coat Factory parking deck collapse

Over the summer, our parking deck collapse injury attorneys have followed news of some major structural collapses involving parking decks in the United States and abroad. One of the parking deck collapses that we read about last month involved the site of not yet opened Burlington Coat Factory in Woodbridge, NJ.

At the time of the collapse the retail space, previously housing The Great Indoors, was undergoing updating for the opening of the new Burlington Coat Factory site. Suddenly a concrete slab that formed one side of the 2nd-floor parking deck just dropped. A forklift that had been on the slab just toppled, and a van was crushed underneath. But fortunately no one was below the slab when it fell, and no injuries were reported. (Source: Deborah Bell, Woodbridge, NJ Patch, 9/19/2012)

People at the Woodbridge mall said the parking deck collapse event felt like an earthquake. No official cause of the parking deck collapse has been released. And while some forensic inspection specialists recently appeared at the site, they have not to the knowledge of our parking deck collapse injury attorneys released any findings on present deck safety at the site.

The only entrance into the Burlington Coat Factory store is from the parking deck. What apparently would have been the main entrance now faces a sheer drop where the concrete slab used to be. Other sets of doors onto the parking deck will be serving as store entranceways.

Our parking deck collapse injury attorneys point out that it is now just hours until the Burlington Coat Factory holds its Grand Opening on Friday at the Woodbridge mall. And it’s not completely clear that the remainder of the parking deck is safe for use. But workers at the site appear unconcerned about possible safety hazards.

Just a day ago, only one worker at the site was wearing a hard hat. And some of those workers were underneath the remaining portions of the 2nd-floor concrete parking deck. A local OSHA indicated that this might pose a safety concern. The workers did not appear to be rushing to complete repairs to the structure either.

Part of the attitude of seeming unconcern may relate to outstanding issues regarding just who is responsible for the parking deck’s safety and inspections. Woodbridge Township had indicated that the State of New Jersey was responsible. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, in turn, disclaimed responsibility.

The Great Indoors retail store that previously occupied the site closed its doors in 2009. And no one seems to know for certain whether the parking deck has received any inspections or maintenance attention since that time. But shoppers brave enough to attend the Burlington Coat Factory opening in a few hours will have to take their chances with safety at the parking deck since it represents the only entrance into the store.

Learn more about deck and balcony safety and how to prevent dangerous structural collapses and resulting injuries. Download our parking deck collapse injury attorneys’ free book regarding deck and balcony collapse issues from this web page.

What to look for when inspecting your backyard deck for safety

The deck safety lawyers at Denena & Points suggest that you always perform checks on your decks, porches, and balconies for safety before any large gatherings you might plan. A little proactive care and safety inspection can prevent a lot of needless trauma and heavy liabilities later.

1. Check documentation on your decks and other outdoor structures. Inspect their construction methods and materials. Before you purchase a place, you should check to see if proper building permits and safety inspections were obtained. If you already own a place, check for prior inspection reports. Many decks are constructed quickly, poorly, using unsuitable materials, and without regard to governing safety standards and building codes. Older decks, even if properly constructed, will have weathered and deteriorated over time. These structures all present real hazards of deck collapses, injuries, and fatalities.

If you can’t find evidence of building permits or proper safety inspections, get a qualified inspector to check your decks. Unfortunately, our deck safety lawyers realize that not all home inspectors are sufficiently familiar with deck and balcony safety to help you. If that’s the case in your local area, you might want to check if a local university’s architecture or engineering department has any recommendation regarding qualified inspectors.

2. Check the timbers and metal hardware in your deck. Check your deck for rot and for rust and corrosion of any metal components or hardware connectors. Check for cracks and splintering parallel to the wood grain on timbers. Timber or metal failure can trigger a disastrous deck collapse. Also check for cracking and crumbling in any concrete or masonry members. Ice can crack stone, and concrete is more brittle than it appears.

3. Check concrete in your deck or its supports for cracking or flaking. Water can penetrate concrete structures and collect inside, corroding steel and metal reinforcements. While this corrosion presents more of a danger in coastal areas in part due to salt, any seasonal variations in heat and humidity can stress concrete and metal over time. Our deck safety lawyers caution that an unnoticed weakness in a seemingly solid concrete support could prove dangerous if the concrete suddenly cracks, crumbles, or the steel reinforcement buckles.

4. Consider the stress of potential weight loads on your decks. Cast iron and stone patio furniture, steel furniture, heavy outdoor umbrella set ups, BBQ equipment, coolers, music equipment, and large, well watered potted plants can all cause timber deterioration, warping, buckling, and stress. Add a gathering of guests to tip the scales to the critical point, and you have a full-scale disaster on your hands. A deck with unnoticed hazards and safety issues might suddenly give way and bring your party to an abrupt and deadly end.

If you have questions about what to do after suffering injury in a deck collapse, contact our deck safety lawyers at Denena & Points for a free legal consultation. We have many years of hands on experience successfully obtaining full financial compensation awards for the injured victims of traumatic deck collapse accidents. We could guide you to your full financial recovery too following a needless accident and injury. Call or email us today.

9 important facts you need to know about flooding and flood insurance

The Gulf Coast accident attorneys at Denena & Points note that the recent landfall of Hurricane Isaac, on the 7th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, reminds us that flooding is the number one natural disaster hazard in the U.S. This sobering reminder is bolstered by data from the National Flood Insurance Program, created by the U.S. Congress back in 1968.

Flooding south of N]ew Orleans and fears of dam failures on the Mississippi River have kept evacuations in progress and left residents in fear since Hurricane Isaac moved ashore. But many homeowners fail to realize until it’s too late that their homeowner’s insurance policy might not cover flood damage. Wind damage, hail damage, and lightning damage are generally included in a homeowner’s policy, but not flooding. Our Gulf Coast accident attorneys point out that flood insurance requires a separate premium and sometimes a separate insurance policy.

Some of the important facts our Gulf Coast accident attorneys realize you need to know about flood insurance include:

• Flood insurance is available nationwide;
• You can obtain it if you live in a floodplain or a high-flood risk area;
• But you can’t obtain flood insurance if your property has been flooded before.
• Though most insurance policies don’t include flood protection, coverage can be purchased from the federal government.
• If you have a federally insured mortgage and live in a high-risk flood zone, mortgage companies will often require flood insurance to secure your loan.
• If you live in a high-risk flood zone and receive federal disaster assistance after a flood, you will be required to purchase and maintain flood insurance until your loan is paid off.
• If you don’t buy flood insurance and another flood damages your property, a request for federal disaster assistance could be denied.
• If you live outside a floodplain or in a low-to-moderate flood-risk area and you choose to but flood insurance just in case, you could obtain that insurance at a lower cost than people in high risk areas.
• Homeowners insurance is usually based on the cost to rebuild rather than the current market value of a home. So home and business owners should make their coverage focuses on replacement costs rather than on actual cash value of the building.

Start the insurance claims process as soon as possible. Contact your insurance company; provide photos of damaged property along with receipts for purchase amounts, and file your Proof of Loss form as soon as possible. The filing deadline might be 60 days or less, so don’t delay.

The emotional pain of flood damage and the challenges of the insurance claims process leave many flooding victims grieving over more than property loss. Read our Gulf Coast accident attorneys’ linked article on making insurance claims after a natural disaster to learn more about what kinds of photographs and documentation you need to facilitate a smooth claims settlement process.

Collapsed deck in Louisville, KY was nailed, not bolted, to building

Our deck collapse injury lawyers wrote about the 2nd story deck collapse on Sunday night in Louisville, KY that sent the four family members on the deck to the hospital for their injuries. One woman received a broken ankle in the sudden deck collapse. Another woman was left hanging briefly onto a door latch before she dropped to the ground. She now experiences neck and back pains.

According to news reports, the entire family seems to be experiencing some fear and trauma after the frightening plunge to the ground. And neighbors in the Heritage Hills apartment complex on Olde Sage Road remain fearful about using their decks or even walking beneath the 2nd story structures. Inspectors have warned residents against using the decks as a precautionary measure while they conduct inspections following Sunday night’s deck collapse in Louisville.

Reportedly, residents of the Heritage Hills apartment complex had been complaining for months about the safety of their decks and asking that repairs be made. Our deck collapse injury lawyers note that some news accounts of the deck collapse in Louisville mentioned that apartment maintenance had replaced a few of the structures. But apparently they had not gotten to the 2nd story deck that collapsed on Sunday night.

Photos of the scene showed where the deck had very cleanly torn off of one side of the building (indicating that it was probably very weakly attached there) and where it had torn away part of the wall on the other side. A photo we attached to our deck collapse injury lawyers’ earlier article on the Louisville deck collapse also showed some nearby decks that appeared to be resting on rather insecure posts.

A building inspector who looked at the site on Monday indicates that the primary cause of the sudden deck collapse at Heritage Hills was that the deck was nailed into the building rather than bolted on. (Source: Maria Clay, WAVE3.com, 7/31/2012) If you’ve read some of our prior articles on deck and balcony safety, you know that nailing such a structure onto a building is a serious no-no.

Nails do not have the strength to attach a weight-bearing outdoor structure to the primary building. Nails are subject to shearing forces and stress that pull them away from what they are nailed to over time. They have no way to securely bind the outdoor structure to the main building.

Our deck collapse injury lawyers point out that nails bend, pull away, and finally pull out of what they have been hammered to. Metal corrosion and wood drying or rot from weather and humidity overtime will accelerate the process, especially in the absence of protective “flashing” at the connection edge. Photos of the accident scene did not show any evidence of flashing, but we admit that could have been torn away and buried in the debris.

Even bolts, though they provide additional anchoring power, will not securely fasten a deck or a balcony to a primary structure if they are not connected to a proper weight-bearing part of the frame through a secure ledger board. And the attachment to the home also needs to be covered with “flashing” which helps protect from water damage, rot, and corrosion over time.

If only nails attached these decks at the Heritage Hills apartment complex rather than secure lag bolts, it’s a wonder there weren’t more serious deck collapses and injuries there sooner. Nailing those decks, which could be expected to receive heavy usage over the years, into the apartment building was just plain negligent building practice. Heritage Hills’ management and their parent company, Underhill Properties, don’t seem to be commenting on the sudden deck collapse in Louisville.

Our experienced deck collapse injury lawyers are some of the few attorneys in the nation to have actual, hands on experience taking structural collapse injury cases through court to a successful conclusion for needlessly injured victims. If you’ve been hurt in the sudden collapse of an outdoor structure, contact us for skilled and knowledgeable help. We offer a free legal consultation/case evaluation.

Our deck collapse injury lawyers have the resources you need to take your case every step of the way from start to finish. Our experience, resources, and solid track record enable us to accept your case on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge you attorneys’ fees unless you win. You have nothing to lose through your free, initial consultation, and everything to gain. So call us toll free or schedule your free consultation through our online contact features. We’re ready and able to help.

Louisville, KY dramatic 2nd floor deck collapse hospitalizes 4 people

Deck collapse attorneys note that several people received injuries when a 2nd floor deck took a sudden plunge to the ground. A large wooden deck snapped out of place with a noise like thunder and sent 4 adults tumbling to the ground just minutes after they had stepped out on the structure. The sudden deck failure ripped away part of the wall to which it was attached. And now the door that led out to the deck looks out upon a sheer drop, debris, and devastation. (Sources: Brittany Gonzalez, whas11.com, and Heather Smith and Matt McCutcheon, wave3.com, 7/29/2012)

The Louisville deck collapse happened about 6 p.m. on Sunday evening in the Heritage Hills Apartment Complex off of Shelbyville Road in the 11000 block of Olde Sage Court. The force of the sudden deck failure shook the house to which it was attached.

The 4 people on the structure at the time of the Louisville deck collapse received transport to the hospital. Reportedly the 4 fortunately only received minor injuries ranging from bruises to a broken ankle. No one was below the 2nd floor deck when it snapped off the house. Our deck collapse attorneys emphasize that anyone underneath at the time might have received fatal injuries.

Residents say that they had been complaining for months about the deck’s safety and asking that the deck be replaced. And apartment complex maintenance had reportedly replaced some of the decks recently due to safety concerns. Clearly maintenance missed one of the safety hazards in the complex.

News accounts of the Louisville deck collapse say that a building inspector was at the complex on Monday to check the safety of several other decks. Our deck collapse attorneys wonder if the inspection analysis will give a clearer picture of things and indicate what went wrong.

On the balconies and decks still standing nearby, one can see that they require a large area of floor space to rely on one or two wooden posts, some of which appear to be leaning slightly. The posts look somewhat aged, and like they sit upon the surface of the ground rather than being anchored securely in below ground.

Photos indicate that the deck snapped cleanly off of one side, but tore the wall on another side. The deck might have been poorly connected to the building on the door side. It might have been weakly attached to the ledger board, or have been attached without a ledger. And water, rot, and weakened timber might have weakened structural supports and connections throughout the deck.

Outdoor structures are vulnerable to wear from many factors that don’t strongly affect the inside of a property. And thorough yearly inspections and maintenance are keys to maintaining deck safety. Your landlord has a duty to provide you with a place to live that is safe and free from hazards.

Learn more about landlord duties, negligence, injuries that can result, and what you can do about them in the linked article by our experienced deck collapse attorneys about a horrific balcony collapse in Denton, TX.

On new U.S. & global popularity of less stable temporary architectures

Since the inevitable worldwide financial collapse in 2008, many ambitious and costly building projects were put on hold. In Lake Highlands, Dallas for instance, there stands the Lake Highlands Town Center, meant to be a vibrant, urban, mixed-use complex boasting side-by-side retail and residential with its own stop on the DART light rail line. Streets, sidewalks, and street lamps highlight a blank slate of patches of empty earth. Our structural collapse attorneys remark that the train stop has been built, and the DART train stops there where no passengers yet wait.

Other projected building projects have simply been downscaled into less ambitious creations. In many cases, our structural collapse attorneys point out that this means “temporary” structures built of lightweight frames, vinyl, or canvas. In London, the Olympic basketball stadium is such a structure. Made of PVC panels, there is already talk that the structure might later be disassembled and reassembled in 2016 for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

But it might be misleading to speak of these structures as “temporary.” Although comparatively impermanent in materials and design, the structures are generally designed to be used for years. For instance, the new Pasadena ice skating center in California is a tent-like structure erected near “permanent” civic buildings of a more classical and grandiose nature. The tent-like complex that hosts children’s hockey and ice-skating groups was built to last for 25 years.

But despite the best intentions, such temporary structures don’t always stand for their intended span. Our structural collapse attorneys at Denena & Points recently wrote, for example, about the early demise of the Dallas Cowboys’ tent-like training facility in 2009 in a disastrous collapse that left two prominent Cowboys’ organization members crippled.

And our structural collapse attorneys’ posts feature regular reports on the deadly collapses of temporary tent-like outdoor structures or concert stages. For instance, an outdoor tent structure apparently intended for years of use by a bar-eatery in St. Louis collapsed last year in a storm, killing one patron and injuring others. And the tragic collapse of the outdoor concert stage in a storm at the Indiana State Fair around a year ago left multiple people dead and dozens injured.

News reports of tornado touchdowns, hurricanes, and other disasters demonstrate that even the most permanent structures are vulnerable to damage and collapse from storms and other disasters both natural and manmade. The problem is that the temporary structures currently favored as cost-efficient and modern solutions to building needs are far more vulnerable to damage from winds, heavy snow, rain buildup, and other conditions than the more permanent structures.

Our structural collapse attorneys emphasize that temporary structures’ support frames are generally made of more lightweight materials and less deeply anchored into the ground. “Walls” and “roofs” might be made of vinyl or canvas rather than more traditional building materials. That’s part of what makes them more cost effective.

But just recently our structural collapse attorneys pointed out the dangers presented by the more lightweight construction of modern “permanent” buildings over the last several decades. Their lightweight construction makes these buildings, intended to be permanent, more likely to collapse in a shorter amount of time than the traditional masonry and heavy timber construction of past eras.

A miscalculation regarding the load bearing capacity of the structure might lead to its sudden collapse. For instance, part of a floor collapsed to deadly effect during a concert in the new student center of Canterbury University in New Zealand two weeks ago because a structural engineer did not factor the live load of a dancing crowd into the design of a floor which was likely to see many a dancing student crowd over the years.

And miscalculations regarding the strength, width, and spacing of structural supports can have disastrous consequences. Such miscalculations, and a continuing cover up of the danger they presented, have been reported as likely contributors to the spectacular failure of the Dallas Cowboys training facility in 2009.

And corroding materials or poor connections within a structure might bring the whole thing toppling down. In Sydney, Australia last week, a steel support beam snapped in a car park and caused the structure to partially collapse. The car park collapse put much of the Westfield EastGardens Shopping Centre mall in danger of collapse. The collapsed car park was shored up so that owners could retrieve their cars. The mall was evacuated and there has been some ongoing confusion about what parts of the mall could reopen and when. So far, the cause of the collapse has been tied to corroding bolts and connectors affected by water buildup in the car park’s nearby air conditioning and refrigeration block. The car park apparently abutted the food court.

Our structural collapse attorneys understand the financial temptation, even seeming necessity, to jump on the temporary architecture bandwagon. But we caution readers to consider the decreased resistance to the effects of wind, water, vibration, impacts, and time in structures designed by their very nature to be lighter, temporary buildings. Even the most imposing tent is still a tent. We won’t deny a tent’s advantages: it’s cheap, portable, lightweight, and airy. But even a bear can knock down a tent. Texas storms can knock down even imposing, multi-million dollar tents.

The London Olympics are unlikely to see a Texas windstorm challenge their new, tent-like basketball arena. We hope that the Olympics will help point out the modern advantages of temporary architecture. The fine Olympic performance of the structures themselves should also remind those knowledgeable about architecture and design of the importance of careful structural engineering work, good materials, and diligent load calculation. Carelessness is any aspect of design or construction can present its dangerous, even fatal, effects much more quickly in a temporary structure then in a permanent one.

Read about the injury dangers of poor design and construction in temporary architecture in our structural collapse attorneys’ article on the failure and collapse of the Dallas Cowboys training facility.