But what if something unexpected does happen? It can be hard to tell if your landlord is responsible for any damages caused by the collapse of a ceiling. As the sheet rock accumulates water, it sags and becomes unstable causing the ceiling to collapse with the nails remaining in the studs. Place a level over an area of the ceiling sheeting to see if there is unevenness anywhere in your ceiling. In some instances, your landlord may be responsible for any damage that happens as a result of the ceiling collapse in your rental. Furthermore, as a renter, you expect your landlord to maintain the building and assume that structural issues will not be a problem.
Ceiling Collapse Who To Call Before Moving
Please call us now for a free and confidential case evaluation at 1-800LAW-2000. Water Damage Water damage from a leaky roof or pipe can go unnoticed and cause the ceiling to rot. Injuries often suffered in NYC ceiling collapse cases. Ceiling collapses in a house can cause serious injury and damage to the room where there were ceiling failures. Rehabilitation costs: In addition to medical expenses, you may also be looking at rehabilitation costs, especially if you suffered major or catastrophic injuries such as brain injuries or spinal cord damage. Wet plaster expands and contracts, resulting in fractures. When property owners and property managers choose to violate basic safety rules and standards of care, the consequences can be devastating. The most common reasons for a ceiling collapse include: - Failure to repair leaks. It is critical that you identify these signs early and quickly repair them before they cause more damage to your home. Far too often, tenants and their children suffer serious bodily damage when large (and often wet) chunks of plaster, wooden planks, and ceiling joints fall. The same holds true for suspension ceilings, however, given that the suspension tiles are usually 2 x 2 feet, the weight is substantially less. If you suspect ceiling damage that may lead to a collapse, it's a good idea to measure the distance from floor to ceiling at various points.
Ceiling Collapse Who To Call First
The most common cause of ceiling collapse is water damage. Not building the house to code, poor workmanship. Noises: It's always a good idea to take any odd noises you hear such as creaking, cracking or popping seriously. This is a sign that the plasterboard sheeting is pulling away from the joist above. Most people don't give much thought to the ceilings that are over them in their homes, their places of employment, or the venues where they shop or seek entertainment. It is important to understand that your rights as a renter are protected by premises liability law. Also, check to see if there is a gap between the ceiling sheeting and the joists.
Ceiling Is Leaking Who Do I Call
No matter how large or small your personal injury case is, you can trust that it is important to us. Spots, yellow stains, and brown watermarks. In these cases, a building owner or property manager may try to evade responsibility by stating that the damage was due to a "sudden leak, " which did not give them time to fix it. A knowledgeable ceiling collapse lawyer can help you understand your situation and guide you through the claims process so that you receive fair compensation. You should check to see if your insurer will cover the repairs. Leaky or burst pipes, an overflowing toilet or bathtub, and roof leaks are all common causes of ceiling water damage. The experienced roof and ceiling collapse lawyers at McCready Law have over 90 YEARS of experience helping individuals such as you get the justice and compensation they truly deserve after the careless and negligent actions of another individual lead to an injury. Costs of lost business if the collapse occurred at a business you own. A ceiling collapse may seem like something out of a movie, but given the fact that hundreds of millions of us rent properties and therefore have no say in their repairs as well as are not privy to the history of an apartment building complex or home, the likelihood for a collapse to happen is pretty high. Modifying the building such as adding extra floors causing load strain.
Learn how we can help you get maximum compensation. High winds from tornadoes or hurricanes are two examples. Ceiling collapses are more common than one would think, especially in low-income housing. Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are: 1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES. Your home is unsafe at this point and you may have to make arrangements to stay somewhere else while your home is being repaired. Depending on the causes for the collapse and if negligence is a factor, a number of variables impact the kind of compensation that may be provided. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a ceiling collapse, you may be entitled to receive the following damages: Medical expenses: This includes any type of emergency transportation to the hospital such as ambulance or helicopter and costs related to surgery, hospitalization, cost of medical equipment, medications, etc. The ceiling has a sagging appearance. Consulting an attorney when your ceiling collapses in a rental property is the best way to find out if your landlord is responsible for the damage. If you have documentation that you notified your landlord and they cannot prove that they addressed the issue, they may be responsible for the collapse, and you may be entitled to damages. You could inspect yourself, and look for any obvious signs of damage on the outside of the property.
If you see anything such as missing pointing, damaged bricks, cracked render, it is possible moisture is coming from outside. The weather can also cause your ceiling to lose its structural integrity, particularly if it is exposed to heavy rains from thunderstorms, floods, and hurricanes. Res ipsa loquitur is a Latin phrase that means "the thing speaks for itself. " Although the indicators of a ceiling leak are usually obvious, locating the source and making repairs can be difficult. Whatever the reason behind the collapse, there's no doubt that some sort of cleanup and restoration will be in order. Our law firm has recovered substantial dollar amounts for victims of these types of accidents. Premise property attorneys lookout for the best interest of those in their care to ensure everything is handled as it should be. However, this is less likely and will only be a more serious issue on rare occasions. How Long Does It Take to Fix a Collapsed Ceiling?