A balcony collapses.
A ceiling caves in.
A brick falls from a tower’s loose masonry.
These are real scenarios drawn from real construction defect cases handled (and won) by founding attorney Rich Hyde.
Despite what the name may suggest, construction defect cases are not limited to cases involving negligent construction workers or equipment. Rather, the term “construction defect” refers to any flaw in the design, construction, materials, or maintenance of a building that poses serious safety hazards to the property’s occupants and visitors.
A given property, whether commercial or residential, can be defective in a wide array of ways thus posing a wide array of dangers. Some examples include:
- Structural defects such as weak, rotten, or improperly installed support structures (e.g., beams, columns, foundations or walls), which can lead to a part of the building falling off or a collapse of the structure.
- Electrical hazards, such as exposed “live” wires or faulty electrical wiring, which can in turn cause electrical fires or electrocution.
- Inadequate ventilation or poor air quality, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues.
- Inadequate fire safety compliance, which can prevent a person from escaping a property on fire.
- Defective or malfunctioning equipment and fixtures within a building such as elevators, escalators, cranes, or scaffolding.
The dangers posed by construction defects are not always obvious. Indeed, most often, the dangers are discrete. To be sure, if you walked into a building, would you honestly know if it had faulty electrical wiring? Most people wouldn’t—at least, not until they see the wiring ignite a fire. Would you know whether a stairstep had internal wood rot prior to the step giving way to your foot? If you did, it’s probably fair to assume you would have avoided the step in the first place, right?
To complicate matters further, defective building owners and operators will often try hiding their errors to avoid legal responsibility. It is not uncommon for these defendants and their insurance carriers to hire so-called “rapid response teams” to quickly repair a construction defect shortly following an injury-causing incident and remove the most damning evidence of the defect’s existence. These defendants may even go so far as fabricating surrounding evidence to make the injury plausibly look like the victim’s fault.
It is therefore essential that the victim of a construction defect hire an attorney as soon as possible. Construction defect attorneys like those at Hyde Trial Tribe have experience handling construction defects cases and can help you navigate the complex legal process. When you hire us for your construction defect case, we provide services that make you glad you did. These services include:
- Conducting fact-intensive investigations to root out the construction defect, determining how long that defect likely existed on the property, and identifying all parties potentially responsible for the defect.
- Acting fast to preserve evidence of the defect, thus protecting you from any foul play by defendants and insurance companies attempting to “cover their tracks.”
- Retaining and consulting with specialized experts in the construction industry, such as engineers, to evaluate the extent of the defect and its impact on the safety of the structure.
- Knowing, applying, and leveraging the complex statutes, ordinances, and regulations pertinent to the construction defect at issue.
- Pursuing legal claims against all parties responsible for the construction defect, including, but not limited to, building owners and operators, contractors, subcontractors, technicians, architects, engineers, and raw material suppliers.
- Negotiating with defendants and insurance companies to obtain truly fair compensation, bringing lawsuits against those who refuse to play ball.
We understand that injuries due to building defects alter your life for the worse. Our attorneys will truly fight to make things right for you and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
If you have been injured due to what you think may be a construction defect, don’t wait to seek legal representation. Later may be too late. Contact Hyde Trial Tribe today to schedule your free consultation from an actual licensed attorney with construction defect experience. In this free consultation, you will receive a free legal strategy personalized to you and your case. Begin by calling or clicking the link below.