No Shelter From the Storm with Faulty Structures

Chicago isn’t called the Windy City for nothing. When storms blow in, heavy winds often drive the wind chill down, and rain and snow can soak through clothing quickly. To provide some measure of shelter, O’Hare airport constructed a series of structures for people to wait under when weather turns ugly.

A terrible accident on August 2nd left a young woman paralyzed after the structure she took shelter under collapsed. Many local Chicagoans were not surprised, as potential problems with these shelters had been observed and reported by many people over the years. Despite these warnings, most of these shelters are still standing, and the issues that could cause them to crumble remain.

There are three central issues with these shelters that could lead to collapse, including:

• The structures are built partially of metal, which has rusted out in many places over years of being exposed to the elements
• The structures are not suitably weather-proofed to stand up to all weather situations people might seek shelter from
• Nuts and bolts that are necessary to hold the shelters together are missing in many instances

Sadly, this type of negligence is common in many buildings. No one bothers with upkeep until someone gets hurt. People are regularly injured by rotting stairs and falling objects that should be securely fastened to walls and ceilings. If you or someone you love has been injured due to negligence, don’t hesitate to contact an attorney. Proving fault can be difficult, especially for someone inexperienced in the legal system. A qualified lawyer will know the right questions to ask to determine who should have done what to keep the property you were injured on safe.