Is That Balcony Safe?
When you get to your hotel room or Airbnb, do you step out on the balcony and wonder: is that balcony safe? Have you ever been on a balcony and imagined falling over a loose railing or the balcony collapsing? Unfortunately, poorly maintained balconies and railings cause serious injuries and death.
Balcony Injury Statistics
Is every balcony safe? Over 684,000 fatal falls occur each year globally. Many children can also get hurt from an improperly constructed balcony. In the United States alone, over 140 children die from unsafe balconies each year.
Balcony Safety
Having safe railings and balconies is necessary to prevent injuries. Here is all the information you need to know about balconies and their safety:
What Causes Balcony and Railing Injuries?
When we investigate a balcony injury case, we usually find one or more problems that cause the injury or death. There are several common reasons balconies can collapse and safety features fail. They include:
- old building
- incorrectly built
- soggy or rotting wood
- nail erosion
- improper railing
- poor maintenance
- failure to inform user(s) of balcony weight limits
- loose railing
- balcony support failure
- balcony detaches from building
Balcony Injuries Are Preventable
Balcony collapse or loose railings can lead to serious injuries and even death. These situations are preventable if the balcony is properly built, maintained, and inspected.
Balcony Safety Inspections
Balcony injuries occur in a variety of ways. Without regular inspections, users can’t know if the balcony is safe. Additionally, users trust and depend on balconies and safety features. Balcony failure leads to serious injuries and death.
Common Balcony Injuries
Because of a balcony’s height, injuries are usually severe or life-threatening. Any fall has the potential to cause serious and lasting harm.
Balcony injuries can include:
- broken bones
- skin lacerations
- traumatic brain injuries
- paralysis
- death
Balcony Injury Responsibility
Who is responsible for injuries after a balcony safety failure? It depends on several factors. Multi-million dollar balcony fall lawsuits have occurred throughout the years. Balcony injury and wrongful death lawsuits fall under premises liability law.
Premises Liability
Premises liability laws hold property owners accountable for injuries on their property. But, there might be others that share the blame. The construction company and maintenance contractors also play an important role in balcony safety. A person injured due to an unsafe balcony can seek compensation for their injuries. A premises liability lawyer is experienced in investigating all parties that might be responsible and filing an injury claim against them.
Who is Liable for an Unsafe Balcony?
Many complex steps must be taken to ensure balcony safety. When a balcony causes an injury, several parties may be responsible. The responsible parties can include but are not limited to:
- property owner
- realty company
- construction company
- rental agency
- deck builder
- contractor
- maintenance companies
- inspection crew
Shared Liability
Parties will not willingly accept the blame for a balcony injury or death. Many times, those at fault will point the finger at others in an attempt to avoid responsibility. It’s possible (and common) that multiple parties share responsibility. Talk to an experienced balcony injury attorney about your situation.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
A balcony injury claim is a serious and complex issue. A personal injury lawyer at Kane & Silverman can help you understand your options. Our team will work hard to get you the best settlement possible for your case. You only pay us a percentage of the money we win for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay us anything.
Free Balcony Injury Consultation
Contact us for a free legal consultation. We will explain your options and let you choose how you want to proceed. You can focus on healing and we will focus on getting you the money you deserve!