The serious personal injury attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy are following the terrifying stairway collapse that took place in Manhattan’s East Village. The serious personal injury attorneys have handled many stairway and building collapse cases and understand the fear instilled in victims as they endured this trying experience.
In the early morning hours this past Sunday, a group of college aged youths were partying on the rooftop of a Lower East side apartment building. They were enjoying themselves, relishing their youth. Nobody expected a tragic accident to unfold.
One of the party goers was descending the staircase that provided access to the roof when the staircase landing suddenly collapsed causing the young man to fall through and suffer various injuries when he landed two stories below. Fortunately reports from the hospital were that he was in stable condition. Our thoughts and prayers remain with him and his family.
Through the brave efforts of responding FDNY firefighters, approximately 30 other party goers were rescued from the building rooftop. One of the rescued party goers commented on the frightening nature of the accident, observing that they all used that same staircase just minutes earlier. Another young student pointed out that there was nothing about the appearance of the stairs to indicate they were unsafe.
The building owner was immediately cited by the Department of Buildings for failing to maintain the structure in a safe and habitable condition. This incident and the comments of those rescued shortly after the accident begs certain questions – how sound is the structure of these century old buildings? How often are they inspected? What do those inspections consist of? How much insurance coverage are building owners required to maintain? Are the insurance companies responsible for a more thorough evaluation of the structural integrity before they issue a policy to the owner?
Another concern brought to mind by this accident is the myriad dangers associated with building occupants gaining access to the rooftop. In far too many Manhattan apartment buildings the owners don’t take sufficient precautions to prevent tenants from using the rooftop for recreational purposes. Far too often the result is a group of young people drinking and partying in almost complete darkness, surrounded by life threatening hazards.
If you or someone you know is injured due to a dangerous condition in a city building, you need to know what your rights are. For this it is essential that you retain a law firm that is well versed in the legal obligations of building owners, building management companies, and building occupants. The trial attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy have been successful in bringing lawsuits on behalf of city residents who have been injured due to a variety of unsafe building conditions. The serious personal injury trial lawyers are proud of their track record, including more than $700,000,000 in verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured victims.
If you want to learn more about Block O’Toole & Murphy, please review the firm website at www.blockotoole.com. For a free consultation, you may contact the attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy by calling 212-736-5300.