Architecture Expert Witness Opines on Dangerous Wheelchair Ramp

Case Overview

This case takes place in Texas and involves a wheelchair-bound female who had signed a lease on an apartment after relocating to a new city for work. She requested a handicapped accessible unit, and was advised by the landlord that she’d been placed in one. Accordingly, her apartment was located on the ground floor of the building, and it featured a dedicated entrance with small wheelchair ramp for access. Nevertheless, the ramp had been added to the unit some time after its initial construction, and, as a result, it had been built with a very steep slope. On one occasion, the woman had returned from work and was attempting to use the ramp to access her apartment when her wheelchair lost balance and tipped over. It was alleged that the excessive slope of the ramp had caused the woman to fall from her wheelchair, resulting in severe injuries including broken bones, a concussion, and a scalp laceration.