Balcony or Deck Collapse Injuries or Death Claims Lawyer

A deck or balcony collapse can cause serious injuries or death. Poor construction, lack of maintenance and other factors can cause a deck or balcony to fail, jeopardizing the lives of anyone on the structure. Owners of buildings with decks or balconies have a responsibility to ensure their safety to protect customers or guests from injury. When one of these structures fails and causes injury or death, victims may be eligible to make a premises liability claim for compensation against the property owner.

What Causes Deck or Balcony Collapses?

Just like any structure, a deck, porch or balcony needs to be designed and constructed to handle specific weights and elements. Building codes are in place to ensure contractors meet these specifications for safety reasons. Poor construction is one of the reasons that a deck or balcony can fail. Other causes of these collapses include:

• Exposure to the elements
• Lack of maintenance
• Poor quality or deteriorated materials
• Too much weight

Some of these causes of deck collapses are the responsibility of the building owner. Ensuring that the structure is maintained and weight limits are met can prevent failure and injuries. However, if a contractor did not design or build a safe structure, the contractor may be liable for accidents and injuries.

If a home or business owner has a deck or balcony collapse, injuring visitors or customers, they may be liable for the damages. An investigation into the cause of the deck failure can reveal what caused the failure. In most cases, the property owner is liable. However, a third-party contractor can be partially or completely liable if the construction was not completed to meet building code safety standards.

For those that have been injured in a deck collapse or lost a loved one when a balcony failed, filing a premises liability claim can be an option to receive compensation for damages. Contact the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown to discuss your claim during a free consultation.