Four people have been injured in a porch collapse in the Morgan Park neighborhood in Chicago’s Far South Side.
“Fell From a Height Greater Than Twelve Feet”
On June 5, 2019, at about 8:30 p.m., two adult women, age 48 and 59, a ten-month-old boy, and an eight-year-old girl were walking up the stairs to a home at the 11700 block of South Church Street in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood. At that time, the porch collapsed. As a result, the four “fell from a height greater than twelve feet.”
Paramedics from the Chicago Fire Department reported to the scene shortly after. The two children were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in serious-to-critical condition. The two women were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center also in serious-to-critical condition, complaining of neck and back pains from the porch collapse.
Representatives for the Chicago Department of Buildings were called to the scene of the porch collapse to conduct an inspection. The department has no inspections or permits on record at the address of the porch collapse.
Porch Collapse Incidents in the United States
According to a Consumer Product Safety Commission analysis in 2015, an estimated 6,500 people have been taken to emergency rooms as a result of collapsed porches and balconies since 2003. Of those people, twenty-nine have been killed.
The deadliest porch collapse in United States history occurred in Chicago on June 29, 2003, when a balcony collapsed during a party in a Lincoln Park apartment building. Thirteen people died and fifty-seven people suffered serious injury in that incident. Twenty-seven families filed suit against the building’s owner and the city.
The owner of that building contended that overcrowding led to the porch collapse, but inspections by the City of Chicago found that poor construction was at fault. The city fined the building’s owner a total of $108,000.00 over the incident, though criminal charges were not filed.
Illinois Premises Liability Attorneys
Property owners have a duty to keep their buildings or land in a condition that is safe for visitors who are authorized to be there. If a property owner breaches that duty, those who have been hurt on the property could potentially obtain financial compensation for their injuries by bringing what is known as a premises liability claim. If you are considering pursuing an action of this type, consider seeking out the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney, such as the Illinois premises liability attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers.
With more than $2 billion successfully recovered for our clients and more than four decades in the business, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. We have the experience and the determination you need to help you get the justice you deserve.
If you have been negligently injured on another person’s property, from a porch collapse or in some other way, please contact GWC today to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys. Call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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