It’s no surprise that the first official lawsuit has been filed in wake of the tragic condo building collapse last week, with many more expected to follow. Wrongful death attorneys in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, are seeking justice for those who lost loved ones in the 12-story beachfront building collapse; currently, 20 people have been confirmed dead, 11 injured and 128 residents are still unaccounted for.
The personal injury attorneys at Moore & Associates handle cases like this all the time, with a focus on wrongful death, medical malpractice, birth injury, car accident, premises liability, and more.
Here is how the personal injury attorneys in Florida are most likely building their case against the defendant, Champlain Towers South Condominium Association to not only help these victims but prevent it from happening again elsewhere.
Building The Case
Investigators are looking into a variety of factors, events, and building elements that hold the building owners accountable, and could have culminated into the cause of the collapse. They are also considering these findings:
- Before Champlain Towers South and its sister building opened, the town manager at the time told the building contractor on Dec. 2, 1980, to halt construction of the penthouses because it violated local regulations. The next week, the town council allowed for the construction of the penthouse and granted an exception (the penthouses were not in the original building plans).
- Complaints from residents on loud, creaking noises throughout the building a few days after the accident.
- Witnesses that water had been accumulating in the building’s parking garage.
- In response to a group of significant complaints, Surfside chief building official Ross Prieto told residents of Champlain Towers South reassured condo owners in November 2018 appeared to be sound and “in very good shape.” A consulting engineer, however, had his concerns.
- Interviews with people who did maintenance on the building for 30 years, inspectors, and roofing companies.
- The existence of a cell tower on the roof, and whether or not that is up to code.
- Last October, contractors discovered extensive concrete deterioration near the condo pool.
- An estimated $15 million in repairs to the building was needed and was approved by the board in 2021.
From all of these discoveries (and more in the coming days), not only are investigators building a strong case in these lawsuits, but it has also spawned a citywide structural inspection in Surfside of all buildings at least three stories high or 30 years old before the 40-year building recertification program to prevent this tragedy from happening elsewhere.
How We Can Help You In A Case Like This
Here at Brown Moore & Associates, our personal injury and accident attorneys stand as advocates on behalf of our clients throughout North and South Carolina. With more than five decades of collective experience in personal injury law, we offer what we like to call a “full-service approach” to helping our clients who have experienced loss, from thorough investigations to methodical negotiations through insurance issues, medical treatment, and future medical needs, wage loss and more. And, in the end, we are here to fight for our clients to get the best possible settlement for them.
You can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 800-948-0577 to schedule a confidential, complimentary consultation, so we can go over exactly what you need to be compensated for your accident and to protect your health and well-being.