If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, showing that a building code violation caused you to fall could be extremely helpful in proving that the business or property owner should be responsible for compensating you. States and local municipalities enact building codes to ensure buildings are safe and to prevent injuries—such as those you suffered in your slip and fall accident. But how do you prove a building code violation?
Three Steps to Take to Show a Building Code Violation Caused Your Fall
You will need an experienced slip and fall attorney to help you identify and prove building code violations existed that could have caused your fall. You and your attorney would need to do the following:
Identify potential violations.
When you meet with your attorney, you need to provide him with as many details as possible regarding exactly how and where you fell. Bring pictures of the accident scene if you have them. Your attorney could know of common building code violations to focus on—such as stairs, handrails, and ramps—that could have contributed to you falling.
Investigate the accident scene.
Soon after you meet with your attorney, you and your attorney should go to the accident scene to do a complete investigation and take additional pictures. It is critical that you preserve evidence of any building code violation or other defect that caused your fall before the problem is repaired by the business or property owner.
Research the code.
Your attorney will need to contact the local building department if he is not certain whether your municipality enacted a local building code and to find out which one was in effect when the building was constructed. He will need to research any state and local building codes for applicable violations. In addition, reviewing any building code file for the property where you fell could result in you discovering that the building department inspected the property and notified the business or property owner of a violation that caused your injuries.
Have You Been Injured In A Slip and Fall Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall you need to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Henderson as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free consultation with our slip and fall attorneys.