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.