Continued from Part 1. Our building collapse injury lawyers point out that demolition and construction experts testified before the Philadelphia grand jury that there was a single safe way to demolish an older building like the one at the Center City site. It had to be taken apart by hand, “brick by brick,” from the outside. Using heavy machinery like an excavator to try and demolish the building from the inside was a recipe for disaster.
Sean Benschop, who operated the excavator equipment on the day of the collapse, has been charged with 6 counts of involuntary manslaughter and 13 counts of reckless endangerment. Since the deadly Center City building collapse, a Philadelphia City Council investigative committee has issued 71 recommendations for reform. And the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections has issued new guidelines regarding demolitions.
The building collapse injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC sadly recall that the daughter of the city’s Treasurer, a young artist, was among the victims killed in the Center City building collapse. (Sources: Karen Araiza, NBC Philadelphia, 11/25/13; Sean Collins Walsh, Philadelphia Daily News, 11/15/13; and Bob Warner, Philadelphia, Inquirer, 11/25/13)
You Might be Entitled to Punitive Damages where Contractors and Excavators Display Willful Disregard for Your Safety
Everyone has a legal duty to look out for the safety of others. With contractors and workers engaged in construction or demolition work, that legal duty is largely codified in federal and local regulations regarding safe practices and procedures.
Where judges and juries find that contractors have committed egregious violations of these regulations and conducted their work with willful or wanton disregard for your safety or the safety of your loved ones, they might award you additional monetary compensation in the form of punitive damages. Our building collapse injury lawyers remark that in serious injury and wrongful death cases, that additional compensation could run into the millions of dollars.
But you must build a strong and compelling case to convince the judge or jury of the defendant’s negligence. For that purpose, you could benefit from the legal counsel, knowledge, and services of an experienced building collapse injury lawyer like Chad Points or Tony Denena.
Call us at 713-807-9500 or simply fill out our online contact form to schedule your free initial legal consultation. We could meet with you to discuss the specific facts of your case and evaluate your eligibility for a full financial recovery for your needless injuries caused by another’s negligence.
We know from experience that serious injuries might require a lifetime of costly ongoing care. Let our building collapse injury lawyers’ more than 12 years of experience successfully resolving complex wrongful death and personal injury cases guide you and your family in making sound and informed decisions after a serious injury accident. Contact us today.