Texas Building Collapse Injury Attorney

Building collapses can happen for any number of reasons, but in all cases, someone is at fault. Roofs, staircases, walls, elevators, and buildings do not simply fall apart on their own. Someone made a mistake, either to save time, to save a few dollars, or out of simple negligence. Whether the building was under construction at the time, already completed, occupied, unoccupied, or even slated for demolition, as a construction worker, occupant, client, customer or passerby, injuries or death from a building collapse should not occur and compensation is appropriate.  When buildings collapse, in part or whole, a catastrophic injury is likely to result.

If you were injured in a building collapse, someone is to blame. You have the right to hold the responsible parties liable for your injuries and the harm suffered by you and your family. The seasoned Texas injury attorneys at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices are ready to fight for your right to compensation. We’ll help you recover the damages you are owed from contractors, architects, engineers, building owners, insurance companies, and any other liable parties.

Why Do Buildings Collapse?

There are many reasons why buildings can collapse in part or whole. In most cases, if a building collapses unexpectedly, someone involved in the design or construction of the building is to blame.  As well, an owner’s efforts to defer reasonable maintenance and repair expenses can also be a cause. Common causes of building collapses resulting from someone’s negligence or recklessness include:

• Defective design or planning by architects and/or engineers
• Failure to follow the architect’s design during construction
• Failure to maintain the building, including by checking for termites, smoke damage, fire damage, and general wear & tear
• Failure to safely and adequately protect against natural disasters including fire, earthquake, flood, hurricanes, or storms
• Failure to follow applicable building codes for construction and maintenance
• Errors committed by contractors or subcontractors during the construction process
• Use of cheap or poor quality construction materials

If you’ve been hurt in a Texas building collapse, a zealous Beaumont premises liability and construction injury attorney can help you uncover how the accident happened and make sure the parties at fault are held responsible to make recompense for your injuries and losses.

Who Can I Sue After a Texas Building Collapse?

If a building collapses, a failure amounting to negligence has occurred sometime prior to the collapse.  Outside of limited circumstances, buildings collapse because someone made a mistake along the way–either in the design, construction, or maintenance of the building. Even if the collapse was precipitated by an earthquake, termites, or other natural disaster, architects, contractors, and building operators should know how to design, construct or maintain buildings in such a way as to prevent collapse.

If you were in or near a building that collapsed, either during construction, during normal occupation, or even as the building was slated to be demolished, there are a number of parties who might be held responsible for your injuries. A savvy Texas building collapse injury attorney at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices will investigate the circumstances leading up to the collapse and the parties involved in construction and maintenance, and identify the party or parties who may be held liable. Potentially liable parties include:

• General contractors. General contractors are responsible for the overall construction of a building. If there is any general problem in the construction process–inadequate supervision or training, cut corners, shoddy materials, failure to build the building in accordance with the design and relevant regulations, etc.–then the general contractor may be held liable for any inherent building defects.
• General contractors often hire third parties such as subcontractors or material suppliers to handle certain aspects of the construction, such as adding windows, roofing, or plumbing. If a subcontractor or vendor fails to fulfill their portion of the project per appropriate thoroughness, safety, and building codes, parts of the building may be more likely to collapse when they should not.
• Building owners/operators. Building owners or managers may be liable in part or whole during construction or after construction is completed, depending on the circumstances. If a building suffers a roof collapse, staircase collapse, or elevator failure, the building owner may be responsible. Landlords are liable when an injury results from something within their control or knowledge, including termites, water or fire damage, or other damage weakening the building’s foundation.
• Engineers & architects. Sometimes, the building’s defect(s) were present even before the first brick was laid. If the engineers or architects who designed the building for construction engineered a defective design, then the building is more likely to collapse during or after construction. Even if the building is built perfectly according to specifications, it may have some fatal flaws, such as failing to secure against earthquakes or heavy rain.

Call Beaumont Injury Attorney Gilbert Adams for Help After a Building Collapse in Texas

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a Texas building collapse accident, reach out to a knowledgeable and thorough Beaumont premises liability lawyer at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices for a free consultation at 409-835-3000.