In recent Houston news, well-known DJ DBaby fell from a 13th-floor balcony. This fatal fall is still under investigation by the police to determine how it could have happened. Several scenarios could have led to this tragic fall. They may be the result of an unnatural cause such as foul play or suicide, or they may be the result of negligence on the part of the property owner. The police have not released their official investigation results yet but have indicated that DJ DBaby’s fall may have just been an accident.
Balcony Falls Due to Property Neglect
Balcony falls due to negligence occur in two primary ways: the railing collapses, or the floor collapses. Landlords have a legal duty to provide a habitable place. This means the balcony must be designed in such a manner that it is safe for normal use. Balcony rails must be attached so they can support people when they lean on them. Balcony floors must be sturdy enough to support the maximum anticipated number of users. Usually, they are designed this way from the start. However, some property owners fail to account for the property’s aging and the normal wear and tear on the attachments over time. If property owners fail to conduct regular inspections to ensure the wood doesn’t rot and the metal doesn’t rust and break, and someone gets injured as a result, they can sue the landlord for damages. The balcony DJ DBaby was on has yet to be inspected.
What Caused DJ DBaby’s Balcony Fall?
Police have yet to release details on the cause of DJ Dbaby’s fall. When police investigate a balcony accident, they typically look to rule out foul play. They will simply look at the circumstances and talk to potential witnesses to see if they can call it a murder, a suicide, or an accident. Apparently, DJ DBaby’s partner—the apartment renter — was present at the time. If they rule it is an accident, their investigation is most likely over. But, for the family, questions often still remain.
Hiring an Attorney to Investigate a Balcony Failure Accident
When the police determine that a fall from a balcony was an accident, an attorney who handles balcony failures can sometimes get more answers. The key is to hire a balcony railing accident lawyer who has access to qualified experts who can investigate the case from a liability standpoint. The key is determining where the failure occurred and whether an inspection would have prevented it. Then ask, why didn’t this inspection occur? A good balcony accident lawyer will also take steps to preserve the evidence so that it does not get swept under the rug.
How Can You Preserve Evidence in a Balcony Fall Accident?
There are two ways to do this: 1) send a letter to preserve the evidence, and 2) file a lawsuit and issue a TRO until you can get a court-ordered inspection set up. Do both if you have reason to believe negligence played a role in the balcony fall. Evidence of a balcony failure can disappear or be covered up when a balcony gets repaired. So, if you don’t have access to the balcony after an accident, have a premises liability lawyer take steps to preserve the evidence.
Proactive Investigation
Rumors and theories are flying all over the internet about the DJ DBaby balcony fall case. The police are still investigating, however, so we do not yet know the cause of the DJ DBaby balcony fall. It could be a while before they release official results given the public nature of the matter in the media. We also do not know if the property owner will be given access to make changes/repairs before the results are released. This is another reason it is important to take steps to preserve evidence, even when the police are done with balcony-fall cases. One should not simply trust the system and hope the police look into all possible causes.
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