Timothy Sass, P.E., MSCE, Civil and Structural Design Expert

Case Summary: Plaintiff, an adult male, slipped and fell from water on the floor of a restaurant.

Expert Analysis: A site inspection uncovered that the building’s rooftop HVAC units were not properly maintained.  Condensation from the rooftop unit leaked into the restaurant and onto the floor.  Inadequate measures were implemented on the roof in an attempt to capture the leaking water, but no provisions were made to periodically drain the accumulated water from the roof.

Result: The cause of the water accumulation on the restaurant floor was determined to be the result of defective maintenance of the property and its rooftop HVAC units.

Timothy Sass, P.E., MSCE, Civil and Structural Design Expert with DJS Associates, Inc., can be reached via email at experts@forensicDJS.com or via phone at 215-659-2010.

Categories: Case Studies | Engineering

Tags: Hazardous Conditions | HVAC | Premise Liability | Site Inspection