This case involves an elderly man in Oklahoma who suffered a serious injury after falling due to an unstable railing. At the time of the incident in question, the man was at a restaurant eating breakfast when he got up to use the restroom. On the way to the restroom, which is accessible only via an exterior set of shallow steps, the plaintiff held onto the handrail which was noted to be loose and wobbly. Due to the instability of the railing, the plaintiff lost his balance and fell, causing him to sustain a compound fracture of his right arm. It was claimed that the railing was not up to building code standards at the time of the incident.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Can you determine if this railing was up to code at the time of this incident?
Expert Witness Response E-009345
This case sounds like something I investigate every day. The applicable building code is the one in effect during the last major renovations. It sounds like we are talking 65 BOCA or so. ADA requires all facilities to meet their standards with minor exceptions (unduly burdensome, extreme cost, etc). The property maintenance code for this jurisdiction will also come into play, specifically with maintenance of the stairs and handrail. I have extensive experience with ADA/Transportation regulations & compliance, OSHA, and building codes including a wealth of practical and consulting experience. I have reviewed a number of slip and fall cases in the past and am very familiar with the area where this case takes place.
About the author
Joseph O'Neill
Joe has extensive experience in online journalism and technical writing across a range of legal topics, including personal injury, meidcal malpractice, mass torts, consumer litigation, commercial litigation, and more. Joe spent close to six years working at Expert Institute, finishing up his role here as Director of Marketing. He has considerable knowledge across an array of legal topics pertaining to expert witnesses. Currently, Joe servces as Owner and Demand Generation Consultant at LightSail Consulting.
