Living in sunny California, there are countless nice days each year with bright sunlight and blue skies. In addition, there are many homes and commercial properties that were built when the state became a boom area for new residents and expansive commercial growth in the 70s and 80s. It is no surprise that one of the biggest design trends of the late 70s and early 80s was the installation of skylights. These glass features are installed in ceilings to allow more natural light into the space. In the 70s, these features were very common in the more modern or contemporary design of homes being built by the thousands. Vaulted ceilings in homes or high ceilings in commercial buildings or shopping malls became a trendy focal point.
While design tastes change, once there is a hole in the roof, it is not as easy as you might think to remove the skylight, even when it nears the end of its life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. So, the skylights that were installed in the 70s and early 80s made it to around 2000 before they are cracking or starting to leak in many cases. At that point the homeowner or commercial property manager often discovered that it was easier to have the skylight replaced than to eliminate it all together. So, a new round of skylights was installed that are often glass or acrylic. But again, these have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, meaning there are tens of thousands of skylights in the state that are nearing or have catapulted past their safe service.
If you were at a friend’s home, in a shopping mall, or at a large corporate facility or medical building and suffered an accident injury due to a broken skylight, you could be wondering how to address the expenses and challenges created by this freak accident. But please understand, while a broken skylight injury might seem to be a very rare issue, it is more common than you think. And it is easy for the legal pros at Normandie Law Firm to help you understand why this is a relatively simple situation to resolve with a broken skylight accident injury lawsuit. All you need to do is grab the phone and reach out to our dedicated office staff who are available to help you 24/7.
During that initial call, you will get answers to some of your general questions, learn more about the services offered by Normandie Law Firm, and how our seasoned broken skylight accident injury attorneys can help you get the compensation and justice you need and deserve for any harm sustained because of a broken skylight incident. In addition, our staff will assist you in booking your free consultation with a skilled personal injury attorney who focused on cases involving injuries caused by a broken skylight. Once you have related the facts of the incident to your attorney, they will explain to you the legal merit of the case and if you have grounds to pursue legal action.
But please know that even when you have the right to take legal action, you are never required to pursue a lawsuit against the property owner where the injury incident occurred. In addition, if you elect to file a lawsuit at some point, you also need to know that you are not obligated to hire and use Normandie Law Firm to represent you in your lawsuit to secure compensation for your losses and expenses from the broken skylight incident. Our only motivation is to provide each personal injury victim with the information and resources needed to make choices that will best meet their immediate and long-term needs. So, please reach out to our caring staff today to discuss your case and ensure you fully understand the time remaining for you to take any legal action that is best to resolve your issues.
Common Injuries Caused By A Broken Skylight Incident
Most people rarely think about skylights because they are mounted or installed overhead and get little care or attention. Unlike a common window, they get little focus when cleaning the space or even the requirement of window treatments. So they are very much forgotten except when you look up and revel in the natural light pouring into the house or building. However, when a skylight is broken or damaged, it can pose many safety risks to occupants of the space or even those who are just passing through the area. If the unit is cracked, it can drop glass that can cause injuries as they fall or will litter the floor with glass making it a potential slip and fall hazard. In addition, if the unit falls from the mounting, it can create significant injuries if there is a person standing or sitting under it. As a result of a damaged or broken skylight, innocent victims can face one or more of these severe to possibly life-altering injuries:
Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
Damage to internal organs or internal bleeding
Broken or shattered bones
Compound fractures
Partial or complete amputations
Fully dislocated joints and the destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joints
Back, neck, and spinal cord damage
Facial injuries to the delicate skin on the face, or to the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
Head injuries that can include a severe concussion, skull fracture, brain bleed to other traumatic brain injuries
Destruction of soft tissue and the nerves in the area
Who Could Be To Blame For My Broken Skylight Accident Injury?
When you think about getting hurt due to a broken skylight, you imagine pieces falling on you or the entire unit falling from the ceiling. There is likely never going to be a case where the victim was in any way causing the skylight to fall or sustain damage. This is a very clear case of an innocent bystander becoming an injury victim. But assigning blame in these cases is often not as challenging as one might assume it to be. The blame for an odd incident like a damaged skylight is easily covered under premises liability law. This section of the legal system was created to protect the general public when they are guests at any public or private space.
In essence, premises liability defines the legal obligations of a property owner when maintaining the space. It explains what is considered safe and hazard-free to ensure the space is not dangerous for guests. In addition, duty of care defines the obligation of the property owner or their staff when a safety hazard or issue is discovered on the property or one is reported to the staff by a guest. It states that the staff or owner must provide at least the same level of care as would be delivered by the average prudent person when addressing the safety issue. In addition, the attention must be provided within a reasonable amount of time to ensure guest safety. If the staff fail to take the appropriate action in a reasonable amount of time, they can be deemed negligent in their duty of care.
For example, if you are in your home and notice that the skylight in your living room is cracked and appears to be deteriorating and about to fall, you would contact a professional to inspect and repair or replace the unit as quickly as possible. In addition, you would likely prevent anyone from walking under or near the broken skylight until it was fixed or replaced to ensure the safety of guests in your home. This is simply what most people would consider common sense and also what the average prudent person would do in such as situation. It is also what the staff of any facility or the owner of any house is required to do under premises liability law.
If the staff of a building or a homeowner fails to provide the needed care and is negligent in their duty of care and it is later learned that negligence caused or contributed to the harm of a guest, the property owner could be held accountable for the victim’s losses and expenses. If you feel that the owner of the property where you were hurt by a broken skylight incident were negligent in their care of the space and that caused or contributed to your injuries, please reach out to Normandie Law Firm at your earliest opportunity. Our team is here around the clock to assist you and ensure you get the justice you deserve.
How Much Is My Broken Skylight Accident Injury Lawsuit Worth?
As the victim of a personal injury, you need to know that the court never awards any predetermined compensation amounts for these cases. Instead, each case is carefully evaluated and the actual losses and expenses incurred by the victim are used to calculate the potential compensation sought by the lawsuit. Working with your Normandie Law Frim broken skylight accident injury attorney, you will compile all the documentation to confirm the allowable expenses you incurred because of the incident. The items most commonly used in this process include but are not always limited to:
The cost of all legal services and expenses related to preparing, filing and litigating your broken skylight accident injury lawsuit
All current and projected medical expenses related to the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the injuries caused by the broken skylight as well as the cost of any therapy or counseling that is needed to address the stress or trauma of the injury incident or injuries and treatment process
The cost to repair or replace any personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the incident
Your lost income if the harm you sustained from the damaged skylight injury incident prevents you from working at your regular job until you are fully healed and cleared by your medical care provider to return to the duties of that work
In cases that involve severe harm or injuries that will require a lengthy healing and rehabilitation process, it is possible for the victim to seek added compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the incident. Because this is not a documented amount such as a medical bill or lost income that can be easily verified, you will get guidance on the amount you select for this aspect of the compensation from your legal team at Normandie Law Firm. They will help you select a fair and reasonable amount that is likely to be approved and awarded by the court.
How Long Do I Have To Take Legal Action?
The time limit provided to a personal injury victim to pursue legal action is typically two years from the date of the injury incident. Once that time limit has passed, the victim no longer has the right to sue the liable party for losses or expenses related to that particular incident. In addition, there are very limited exceptions that would provide the injury victim with added time to take legal action once the original time limit has expired. Please reach out to Normandie Law Firm today to discuss your case and the time remaining for you to pursue legal action related to the harm sustained because of a broken skylight injury incident.
No Added Stress Of Legal Fees
When you hire Normandie Law Firm to handle your broken skylight accident injury lawsuit, our team never demands any upfront payments or expenses to begin work on your case. Our policy is to take on any case with legal merit and only get paid for our work and the expenses incurred after the matter is resolved. At that time, you will have the compensation that includes funds to cover your legal costs and other expenses. In addition, thanks to our no-fee guarantee, you will never be asked to pay anything if your Normandie Law Firm broken skylight injury attorney fails to win the case and deliver the compensation you need and deserve. Please reach out to our caring and helpful office staff today to help you understand this viable process to get the compensation owed to you for the harm caused by someone else’s negligence.
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