Walls are a key component of any structure. They create barriers and form partitions between rooms. And sturdy walls provide structural integrity for all types of buildings.
When a wall collapses, it can cause serious injuries. In order to prevent catastrophic accidents, walls must be well-designed and built according to code using high-grade materials.
Contractors who fail to take the necessary precautions create unstable walls that are destined to come crashing down sooner or later. This can have tragic consequences for construction workers who are present when the inevitable collapse occurs.
What Causes Walls to Collapse?
All types of walls must be structurally sound to prevent collapse. Load-bearing walls and retaining walls are subject to substantial pressure and require high construction standards.
Load-bearing walls bolster the floor below and bear the weight of the roof above, providing support for beams, vaults, pillars, lintels, columns, and other structural elements.
Retaining walls restrain soil from a hill, slope, or mound of earth behind it. The lateral force on a restraining wall can be substantial.
Factors that cause walls to collapse include:
- Poor planning
- Failure to inspect
- Code violations
- High water tables
- Inadequate thickness
- Weak or broken beams
- Faulty or damaged supports
- Soft or unstable soil conditions
- Poorly compacted ground
- Design or engineering flaws
- Substandard construction material
- Insufficient curing time for concrete
- Excavation or trenching near the wall
Injuries Caused by Collapsed Walls
When a wall collapses, the whole building can come falling down. If this happens during construction, tons of material may land on top of workers, including plaster, pipes, bricks, glass, concrete, drywall, wood, insulation, copper, and steel.
A collapsed wall that occurs during construction has devastating consequences for workers, including:
- Broken bones
- Crush injuries
- Spinal cord injures
- Lacerations
- Skull fractures
- Internal bleeding
- Neck and back injuries
- Amputation
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Wrongful death
How Your Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
In New York, workers’ compensation insurance provides income replacement and other types of relief for construction workers who are injured on the job. But there may be additional sources of compensation available for victims of a collapsed wall accident.
The experienced litigators at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP have won over a billion dollars in claims for our clients. We will investigate the accident and pursue every available avenue to find additional compensation.
We may be able to file a claim against various parties whose negligent actions have contributed to your injuries. This may include:
- Architects
- Vendors
- Property owners
- Third-party contractors
- Manufacturers of faulty materials
Schedule a FREE Consultation Today
At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, we’ve dedicated our practice to helping people who’ve been injured by the careless actions of others.
Our team isn’t intimidated by anybody, and we never stop fighting for our clients.
Call (212) 986-7353 to schedule your case evaluation today.