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UCSB Student Files Lawsuit in ‘Deltopia’ Balcony Collapse
A 21-year-old University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) student, who was injured after a balcony collapsed at a fraternity house during a Deltopia street party, has filed a negligence and liability lawsuit against the owner and the property manager of the residence.
The lawsuit claims that the student, a UCSB senior from Los Angeles, suffered a fractured pelvis when the balcony collapsed on her from above. At least 20 people were on the balcony when it failed and fell to the ground.
The suit contends that the property management company, Ronald Wolfe and Associates, and the Elliot Family Trust, which owns the property, knew there were long-standing problems with wood rot and termites in the balcony, but did nothing to rectify the problem. The student’s attorney told NoozHawk.com that the collapse of the balcony “wasn’t a question of if, but when.”
Reportedly, the young woman is still healing from her injuries and cannot work at her job as a lifeguard at the university. While the exact dollar amount the lawsuit is seeking has not been revealed, NoozHawk reports that the student’s medical bills have already surpassed $25,000 and that she has no medical insurance.
The property was insured and the plaintiff’s attorney speculates that many of those injured in the balcony collapse may have already signed agreements with the insurance company for small amounts of cash without realizing how serious their injuries may be.
“At the end of the day, we just want [our client] to be taken care of,” he told Noozhawk.
Have you suffered an injury caused by dangerous property conditions? The premises liability attorneys at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand stand ready to represent you whether you have been injured at a private home, at a business or on public property. We are dedicated to getting you fair compensation for your injuries.
Do you have questions about your legal rights or how to continue with your case? Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530. You don’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case.