There are many contributing factors to a roof or ceiling collapse, but the most common is water damage. For example, drywall and plaster - common components of residential and commercial ceilings - are known to fail and collapse under excessive or prolonged exposure to water. Materials in ceilings can usually withstand incidental surface wetness and low-level moisture, but any prolonged or heavier exposure is going to compromise the structural integrity of the ceiling. Although past flooding may sometimes be the culprit, it’s usually something more banal, like a leaky roof or plumbing system.
Most of the time, you won’t have an entire ceiling collapse, but a partial slab. But even that can be quite serious. Consider what happened at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in 2020. As the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported, two diners were injured at a Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport restaurant when a 700-pound, 20-foot-long ceiling panel fell on their heads. It was only a partial ceiling collapse, but it was only luck that the outcome wasn’t far worse.
Our Georgia building failure lawyers at Apolinsky & Associates, LLC, can help you pursue a case for fair compensation by holding accountable all parties responsible for the ceiling collapse.