Articles Posted in Safety

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Six Injured in DeKalb, Illinois Apartment Fire at 808 Ridge Drive.

Six Injured in DeKalb, Illinois Apartment Fire at 808 Ridge Drive. (Stock Photo: MurrayLegal.com)

Could the injuries from this apartment fire have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victims? Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.

Local News

A fire engulfed a DeKalb, Illinois apartment building Tuesday night, March 25, 2019, leaving multiple people injured and hundreds of tenants searching for housing.  According to Daily-Chronicle.com, ” fire crews responded to a 10:54 p.m. call for a fire at [an] Apartment complex at 808 Ridge Drive.”  Per the report, the fire is being ruled intentional after crews discovered mattresses were set ablaze in a third-floor common area.  According to the report, “[s]ix people were taken to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, one with life-threatening injuries.”

Residents at the complex feel that safety measures and equipment are in question at the complex.  As reported by Daily-Chronicle.com, a resident said “three people tried to pull the fire alarms manually and the system did not appear to be working.”  another resident told the news outlet “I didn’t hear the fire alarms going off…I heard somebody banging on my door, that’s what made us get up.”  According to WSPYnews.com, “Police say some people were unable to get out of the building. DeKalb firefighters used ladders to rescue them.” The building was condemned because of the extent of the fire damage, leaving 140 tenants displaced, according to the report.

This is apparently not the first fire incident at the complex.  According to a Daily-Chronicle.com report, the DeKalb City Manager stated  “[t]he…complex has been the scene of multiple arson fires in recent years…and city officials have tried to ramp up security measures in the building despite…lack of action on the property managers’ part.”

 

The fire is being investigated by the DeKalb Police and Fire departments and the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Our Legal Take

As the fire department continues its investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack of fire safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.

  • What fire safety measures, such as working smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and emergency exits, were in place and working at the time of the fire?
  • When was the last fire inspection performed on the property?
  • Were any safety measures added after any previous fires?

As details of this fire continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. Under certain State law, the owner and management company of an apartment complex have a duty to protect residents and to keep the premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur as a consequence.  Should the DeKalb apartment complex be found at fault, the victims may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their injuries and suffering. Financial recovery for such a claim could be substantial.

As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often more concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that the victims retain an experienced premises liability firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as a faulty fire alarm or a poor evacuation plan, is preserved and the victims best interests are protected. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in premises liability and apartment negligence cases, such as this, and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.

If anyone has information to share, or if anyone is seeking information regarding this incident, please contact us at 888.842.1616.

Our Results

The Murray Law Firm has obtained over $100 million dollars for its Clients, and recently secured a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at CALL NOW: 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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DISCLAIMERS:  The information contained in this post is from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will gladly correct or remove this post upon request.  The material contained in this post is not intended to constitute legal advice. As each Client is unique, please contact us for a free consultation on your particular case.  “Contingent attorneys’ fees” refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.

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Keshawn Deion Parler Drowns in Columbia, South Carolina Apartment Complex Pool.

Keshawn Deion Parler Drowns in Columbia, South Carolina Apartment Complex Pool. (Stock Photo: MurrayLegal.com)

Did a safety procedure failure contribute to this Columbia apartment drowning and are justice and compensation available to the victim’s family?  Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available. 

Columbia, SC News

Apartment safety measures are under scrutiny following the tragic drowning of a man at a Columbia, South Carolina apartment complex pool Tuesday night, May 28, 2019.  According to ColaDaily.com, “[t]he incident occurred at Hunters Ridge Apartments, located at 1079 Springhouse Drive in Columbia, at 8:50 p.m.”  Per the report, “Keshawn Deion Parler, 20, of Currituck Drive in Columbia, jumped into a swimming pool.”  He then at some point started experiencing difficulties and “had to be pulled from the pool and was transported by Richland County EMS to Lexington Medical Center.”  He was pronounced dead at 9:45pm according to the report.  An autopsy was performed and the cause of death was asphyxiation due to drowning reports TheState.com.

Our Legal Take

Apartment residents and guests have a right to feel safe and secure while on the premises. The Murray Law Firm questions the level of safety provided at the pool on the property and whether this tragedy may have been prevented.

  • What safety measures were taken by the apartment complex owner and management to protect residents at the pool? 
  • Is the pool in compliance with federal and local laws and regulations.
  • Was life-saving equipment such as life rings and reaching poles easily accessible.
  • Were water safety rules posted in a visible area for adults and children to review?

Generally, property owners are required to protect all those legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm. Should the facts of this matter reveal that the apartment complex owner and management failed to provide adequate safety measures to protect those on its premises, the family of the Keshawn Deion Parler may seek justice and elect to pursue legal claims for his wrongful death.

Based upon its prior successful experience in handling safety negligence claims on behalf of victims and their families, The Murray Law Firm suggests that photographs and a thorough, unbiased inspection of the property will need to be performed immediately, before any evidence may be repaired, damaged or destroyed. Given the complexities of pursuing a negligent safety case, it is imperative that Keshawn Deion Parler’s family retain an experienced attorney who can ensure the preservation of any and all evidence that may support such a claim.

OUR RESULTS: OVER $100 MILLION IN VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS FOR OUR CLIENTS

The Murray Law Firm has a long history of representing victims of safety and security negligence.  We have obtained over $100 Million in verdicts and settlements for our Clients, including a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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Choosing the Right Attorney (Click Here)

DISCLAIMERS:  The information contained in this post is from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will gladly correct or remove this post upon request.  The material contained in this post is not intended to constitute legal advice. As each Client is unique, please contact us for a free consultation on your particular case.  “Contingent attorneys’ fees” refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.

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Albuquerque Apartment Fire Kills Ja'Zay Simpson, Injures 3 Others.

Albuquerque Apartment Fire Kills Ja’Zay Simpson, Injures 3 Others. (ABQjournal.com)

Could the death and injuries from this apartment fire have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victims?

Local News

A fire engulfed an Albuquerque, New Mexico apartment complex early Tuesday morning, April 16, 2019.

According to ABQjournal.com, “officers were sent to the blaze at [an] apartment complex on Eubank NE, south of Montgomery NE…[t]he fire broke out shortly after 2 a.m. and when firefighters arrived at the apartment complex they found one of the buildings consumed by flames and heavy smoke.”  The news story reports that in one of the units “a 10-year-old boy didn’t make it out…the boy’s siblings, ages 2 and 13, were taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital and remained in critical condition.”  One other person was injured according to ABQjournal.com, “Hannah Makvandi, who jumped from a window of her second-story apartment, was also hospitalized with a sprained ankle.”  KOAT.com is reporting “[c]rews were able to put the fire out, but…six of the eight units sustained severe or total damage.”  The fire is under investigation and Albuquerque Fire Rescue state “We don’t know if it started in the apartment, if it started in a different part of the building, the fire investigators are taking that all into account, due to the large fire, the building is compromised,” according to the KOAT.com report.

In a subsequent news story, ABQjournal.com reports, “the family of the 10-year-old boy who was killed in a Northeast Heights apartment fire early Tuesday has identified him as Ja’Zay Simpson.”

Our Legal Take

As the fire department continues its investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack emergency evacuation procedures and fire safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.

  • When was the last fire inspection and emergency evacuation drill performed?
  • What fire safety measures, such as working smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and emergency exits, were in place and working at the time of the fire?
  • Were all escape routes properly marked at the building?

As details of this fire continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. The owner and management company of an apartment complex have a legal duty to protect residents and to keep the premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur as a consequence.

Should the Albuquerque apartment complex be found at fault, the victims may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their injuries. Financial recovery for such a claim could be substantial.

As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often more concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that the victims retain an experienced premises liability firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as a faulty fire alarm or a poor evacuation plan, is preserved and the victims’ best interests are protected. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in premises liability and apartment negligence cases, such as this, and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.

If anyone has information to share, or if anyone is seeking information regarding this incident, please contact us at 888.842.1616.

Our Results

The Murray Law Firm has obtained over $100 million dollars for its Clients, and recently secured a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at CALL NOW: 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

728x90 Justice

Choosing the Right Attorney (CLICK HERE)

DISCLAIMERS:  The information contained in this post is from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will gladly correct or remove this post upon request.  The material contained in this post is not intended to constitute legal advice. As each Client is unique, please contact us for a free consultation on your particular case.  “Contingent attorneys’ fees” refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.