Austin Building Collapse Attorney

Few accidents are as sudden or as devastating as a building collapse. One moment, a structure is standing, and the next, workers, residents, or passersby are caught in the wreckage with life-altering or even fatal injuries. Victims and their families can be left with a mountain of medical bills and a long list of questions about what happened and who should pay for it.

If you or someone you love was hurt in a building collapse, an Austin building collapse attorney at Loewy Law Firm can help you figure out who’s responsible and what compensation you may be owed. Contact us today at (512) 280-0800 to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation.

Where and How Building Collapses Occur

Some building collapses happen on active construction sites when scaffolding or unfinished structural elements give way. In 2021, Austin saw an incident like this when a crane collision triggered a structural collapse at a construction site in a fast-growing part of the city and injured more than 20 people. Others happen during demolition work, when a structure comes down in an uncontrolled or unexpected way. Still others occur in already-occupied buildings, like apartment complexes, parking garages, or commercial properties, where residents and visitors have every reason to expect structures to be sound.

Austin has grown quickly over the past several years, and construction activity across the city has grown right along with it. Rapid expansion brings significant benefits to the local economy, but it also increases the risk of preventable accidents. An Austin building collapse lawyer can look closely at the location and circumstances of the building collapse that affected you, because those details can point directly to who was involved and what evidence is available.

The Root Causes Behind Structural Failures

Buildings don’t just collapse for no reason. A structural failure is nearly always the end result of something that went wrong earlier, whether that’s deferred maintenance, a violation of building codes, a flawed design, or the use of substandard materials. During periods of rapid construction growth, the risk of problems increases as contractors face considerable pressure to finish jobs quickly.

A tight market can mean labor shortages that put less experienced crews on the job and rising costs that push builders toward cheaper materials. None of this excuses cutting corners on structural safety, and when that kind of negligence leads to a building collapse, the people responsible can and should be held accountable.

Records that Support a Case

Documentation of the issues can become the foundation of a legal claim for building collapse injuries. For example, a maintenance log showing that a known issue went unaddressed or a contractor email discussing a shortcut can speak volumes about how a collapse might have happened and who knew what before it did.

Permits, Inspections, and Other Key Records in Building Collapse Claims

The City of Austin requires structural inspections at multiple points during construction, starting with plan review and continuing until a project earns its certificate of occupancy. The process generates a substantial “paper trail,” and those permitting and inspection records can be useful in establishing a timeline of what was approved, what was inspected, and what may have been missed along the way.

Property owners may have relevant records, too, including maintenance contracts, repair invoices, internal inspection notes, tenant complaint logs, and correspondence with contractors or property management companies. If documentation exists that shows a property owner ignored a known problem, it can provide strong evidence of negligence in a building collapse claim.

An Austin building collapse accident lawyer knows how to identify and request the right records quickly, before they become harder to obtain or are destroyed entirely.

Who’s at Fault When a Building Collapses?

Most of the time more than one party shares responsibility for a building collapse. Depending on the facts of your case, here are some examples of potentially liable parties:

• Architects and structural engineers responsible for design flaws or calculation errors
• General contractors who failed to follow approved plans or safety protocols on-site
• Subcontractors who performed substandard work on specific elements of the structure
• Building material manufacturers that supplied defective or substandard materials
• Property owners who failed to conduct regular maintenance or ignored known hazards

When a building was finished and occupied at the time it came down, the claim against the owner or property manager is usually a premises liability claim. That kind of claim generally requires showing that they knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to correct it. It’s a different theory than a design or construction defect claim against an engineer, contractor, or material supplier, and a single collapse can support both.

Damages in a Building Collapse Case

Our firm can investigate every angle of a collapse to identify each party whose actions or inaction may have played a role and maximize your potential sources of compensation. Depending on the circumstances, you may have a claim against one or several parties and could be entitled to compensation for:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Income losses
• Lost future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced quality of life
• Out-of-pocket expenses

Legal Options for Construction Workers After a Collapse

Construction workers face unique challenges after a building collapse. Texas is the only state where workers’ compensation coverage is optional for private employers, which means some injured workers don’t have access to benefits. However, if your employer is a non-subscriber or if they violated certain safety requirements, you may have grounds for a direct claim against them. If your employer does provide workers’ comp coverage, you could be entitled to valuable benefits, though you generally can’t sue that employer directly, even if their negligence contributed to the collapse.

Regardless of your employer’s status, you may also have a third-party claim against someone other than your employer, such as a negligent contractor, engineer, or material supplier. A third-party claim can cover a broader range of losses than workers’ comp benefits typically allow, including full compensation for pain and suffering. If someone dies in a trench collapse, surviving family members may qualify for workers’ comp death benefits (if the person was on the job), a wrongful death claim, or both.

Claims Against Government Entities

Some Austin buildings are owned or maintained by government entities, and claims that involve the collapse of public structures are subject to unique legal requirements. The Texas Tort Claims Act allows injured parties to pursue claims against the government under certain circumstances, but only if they meet specific criteria. For example, you will need to provide a notice of claim quickly after the collapse, typically within just a few months, before you can even file for compensation. If you know or suspect you might have this type of case, you should contact an industrial accident lawyer for help as soon as possible.

Key Deadlines After a Building Collapse

All compensation claims are subject to strict deadlines after a building collapse. Workers’ comp claims require prompt notice to your employer and timely filing with the Texas Department of Insurance. Most third-party claims are subject to a two-year deadline, but filing windows can be even shorter. Neither an OSHA investigation nor a pending workers’ comp claim will extend the relevant deadline. Waiting too long to get help could cost you your right to pursue full compensation, so don’t delay.

Why Choose Loewy Law Firm?

Attorney Adam Loewy has spent more than 20 years fighting for injured Texans, and he’s recovered tens of millions of dollars for his clients since founding the firm in 2005. He purposely keeps a smaller caseload than most firms so he can give every client his full attention. That level of dedication has earned him a 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo and recognition from both the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Adam knows that injured people often need more than just legal representation. That’s why he maintains relationships with a wide network of medical professionals, so he can direct his clients to providers who can deliver the care they need quickly while he focuses on the details of your case. He stays personally accessible to his clients throughout every case, and clients can reach him directly by text. Consultations are always free, and our firm gets paid only if we win your case.

Contact an Austin Building Collapse Accident Attorney Today

A building collapse can leave you facing a mountain of surprise expenses and an uncertain recovery, all while critical deadlines are already ticking away. Don’t wait to get answers about your most pressing questions. Contact Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800 for a free case evaluation, and let an experienced Austin building collapse accident lawyer fight for the compensation you deserve.