South Jersey Building Code Violation Lawyer
Building code violations are a leading cause of injuries on unsafe premises. The Uniform Construction Code is a uniform system of construction standards designed to protect the health and safety of the public. They are there for a reason. When residential and commercial buildings are not built to code or repaired and maintained in conformity with building codes, serious injuries can result. If you or a loved one has been harmed because of a property owner’s building code violations, call me, Joseph Monaco, South Jersey building code violation lawyer. I’ll go to work right away figuring out what went wrong to cause the accident and hold those responsible accountable to you for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Building Code Violations Cause a Number of Different Injuries and Accidents
New Jersey and Pennsylvania building codes are written to ensure that buildings are structurally sound and safe. Examples include making sure fire escapes, fire doors and firewalls are present, when necessary, stair steps are not too high or too short to traverse safely, electricity is wired according to applicable safety standards, the proper building materials are used, and much more. When building codes are violated, the accidents and injuries that can result are limitless. Here are just a few of the possibilities:
- Collapsing Stairs & Decks
- Construction Accidents
- Dram Shop Liability
- Escalator & Elevator Falls
- Grocery Store Slip & Falls
- Hardware Store Slip & Falls
- Premises Liability
- Retail Store Slip & Falls
- Sidewalk Slip & Falls
- Slip & Falls
- Trip & Falls
- Building Collapse
- Smoke Inhalation
- Fire Exposure
- Toxic Exposure
- Electrocution
These building code failures, in turn, can cause numerous serious or fatal injuries, including:
- Broken Wrists and Ankles
- Broken Arms and Legs
- Fractured Hips
- Facial Lacerations and Disfiguring Injuries
- Muscle Tears, Sprains and Strains
- Head and Brain Injuries
- Back and Neck Injuries
- Burn Injuries
- Paralysis
- Wrongful Death
Building Codes Are Comprehensive
Building codes can be found in the Uniform Construction Code. This code, adopted by most states throughout the country including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, contains numerous subcodes covering specific aspects of building construction and maintenance. Subcodes include:
- Building
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Fire protection
- Energy
- Mechanical
- One- and two-family dwelling
- Fuel gas
- Rehabilitation
- Barrier-free
- Asbestos
- Radon
- Playground safety
- Elevator
- Lead hazard abatement
A different law, the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, covers buildings such as hotels and apartment complexes. These structures are subject to inspection every five years by the Bureau of Housing Inspection.
Building Code Violations Are Forms of Negligence
In the world of personal injury and premises liability law, there is a doctrine known as “negligence per se.” Negligence per se means that the very act itself is negligent on its face, without the plaintiff having to bring in other evidence proving that a person or business was negligent. Whenever the government enacts a safety law to prevent a certain type of hazard, and someone violates that law and causes the type of injury the law was meant to prevent, then the person is considered negligent per se. An example is a stop sign meant to prevent crashes at an intersection. If a driver blows through the stop sign and causes a wreck, the driver could be considered negligent per se without the injured party having to prove the driver was distracted, drunk, speeding, drowsy, etc. The fact that they ignored the stop sign law is negligence in and of itself.
The same thing can be said of building code violations. Property owners are legally required to build and maintain their premises in conformance with applicable building codes. These codes were adopted for the health and safety of the building residents, so if a resident is harmed because of a building code violation, it should be feasible to hold the owner accountable for the injury that resulted. I, Joseph Monaco, have decades of experience in New Jersey and Pennsylvania premises liability and personal injury law. I know how to gather the evidence and put together a strong case for compensation. I am also an experienced trial lawyer willing and able to go to court any time the other side refuses to settle for an appropriate amount. I can help you if you have been injured due to a defect in a residential or commercial building.
Serving Atlantic City, Marlton, Cherry Hill, Vineland, Bridgeton, Millville, Camden, Trenton
As a layperson, you might not know who is the proper party to sue after a building code violation injury. You might not know what the process is to bring a claim, what your claim is worth, or what to do if the other party refuses to admit liability or disputes your injury claims. You don’t need to know these things; you just need a lawyer who does. Call or text me, Joseph Monaco, at 609-277-3166 or 215-546-3166 for a free consultation. You focus on getting better while I focus on getting you the compensation you need and deserve. If I can’t recover compensation for you, I won’t charge you any fees or expenses.
