Multiple parties can potentially be liable for an injury caused by a defect with a recently purchased home. Under "Pennsylvania Home Sellers: Disclosures Required Under State Law," sellers must notify buyers of any material defects with the house in writing. Therefore, the seller can be liable for an injury caused by their negligent or fraudulent misrepresentation of the property. If the homeowner can prove their claim, they may be able to recover damages, including the costs of repairing the defect, or in some cases, reverse the sale of the home.
Other potentially liable parties include:
The Selling Broker: If they knew or should have known about the concealed defect.
The Home Inspector: If the inspector failed to discover the defect which was obvious and in their realm of professional knowledge but not so apparent that you should have seen it yourself before buying.
Architect/Engineer: If the defect occurred in the design phase.
Contractor/Subcontractor: If the defect resulted from their failure to follow design specifications while building the home.