We often don’t think twice about negotiating a flight of stairs, taking its safety for granted especially when they don’t have any obvious signs of damage or weakness. However, our stairway collapse attorneys know that frequently these structures tend to pose a safety risk due to poor maintenance or lack of proper maintenance and can become extremely dangerous. Even in cases where obvious defects are fixed, a stairway can lose its integrity simply because of the wear and tear with constant use. When a stairway does collapse, it can cause major injuries or even fatalities.
Types of Stairway Collapse
A stairway collapse may be “partial” or “total.” When a total collapse occurs, 
the middle portion of the stairway caves in. A person who is going up or coming down the stairway as it completely caves in, will likely fall straight down. Those who are on the stairway may also be struck by debris or become trapped in debris from the stairway. This type of stairway collapse may result in severe injuries to the extremities.
On the other hand, a partial collapse occurs when a portion of one or more stairs gives way or collapses. For example, in a wooden staircase, when one or more stairs break or give way, a portion of the staircase can cave in. With a concrete stairway, the crumbling or caving in of a concrete step may be described as a partial collapse. In such cases, a person on the stairway may trip and fall and suffer serious head injuries or spinal cord injuries. Such stairway accidents are extremely dangerous.
Improper Construction and Maintenance
For staircases to be stable and safe, they must be properly designed, constructed and maintained. Under New York State laws, stairways must be built in accordance with a number of laws and codes including the New York State Building Code. Section 1011 of the Building Code applies to stairways in residences as well as public buildings.
The code regulates a number of aspects of stairway construction including the overall width of the stairways, amount of headroom clearance, depth of the stairs, height of the stair risers, uniformity of the steps and the vertical rise height of the stairway. When there is a failure to adhere to these codes and standards, stairway collapses occur, leading to injuries and sometimes, even fatalities. Poor or shoddy construction using substandard parts or materials can also result in a stairway collapse.
Stairways even if properly constructed must still be maintained. When landlords (building owners) fail to do this, it may lead to a collapse resulting in serious injuries. Stairways may be unsafe if the property owner or manager doesn’t replace missing stair treads; if the supporting structure is warped or slipping; if risers are shifting out of the support structures; or if wooden steps are decaying or rotted. Exposure to bad weather can also cause stairs to deteriorate and eventually collapse.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you were involved in a stairway accident as a result of someone else’s negligence (carelessness), please remember that you have rights. Some of the damages that victims of such accidents can claim include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, loss of wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, past and future pain and suffering, permanent injury, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 49 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims.
Our law firm recovered $1,700,000 for a woman who slipped and fell and received no hospital or medical treatment for one month after the accident. Our law firm also recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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