Floor collapse in apartment building leads to many injuries

All Practice Areas

There were more than 50 people injured when the floor of an apartment building collapsed. Fortunately, no one was killed during the accident, but many individuals did suffer broken bones or sprains.

A party was being held in the apartment building’s clubhouse at the time that the collapse took place. One individual in attendance described the incident “like riding a roller coaster with no seat belts.” At least twelve individuals were taken to the hospital after the accident occurred.

Without knowing more about what occurred, it’s impossible to determine what caused this collapse. It’s also not clear if the individuals injured were on the floor that collapsed or were below it. However, a floor of an apartment clubhouse should not collapse simply because 50 individuals were present in any case.

One can imagine a building safely containing many more individuals than this. If a floor could collapse in this type of manner, what would happen if the building was the center of a natural disaster such as a hurricane?

Personal injury attorneys that understand how buildings are constructed can assist injured individuals receive compensation for what has occurred. Attorneys that are familiar with building codes and understand basic engineering can determine if negligence in building construction or care has occurred.

There are many high rise apartments in New Jersey, and one has the expectation that they would be kept safe from these kinds of collapses if on the premises of the building. Nevertheless, these types of accidents do often occur because of faulty construction materials, a failure to inspect building conditions, or poor construction methods.

Source: KTIV News, “Dozens hurt when floor collapses during Fla. party,” Oct. 21, 2012

• Our website may be able to provide readers with more information regarding property and premises liability matters.