14 DAY TRIAL // A Southern Indiana family had gathered for a Christmas party on December 22, 2013 at a neighborhood clubhouse near New Albany when the deck collapsed underneath them and they all fell onto the concrete pavement.
The 24 family members were preparing to pose for a group photo when they fell about 15 feet because the wooden deck they were standing on gave way and dropped them on the ground.
“Everybody was sitting down, and Brittany was about to take the picture, and boom,” 8-year-old Ainsley Wilt describes the horrific scene, according to Daily News.
Seven people needed medical assistance and were taken to local hospitals with broken bones. It seems that those standing along the railing suffered the most severe injuries. The family says that three of the people injured still aren't able to walk. A 13-month-old baby was also among the family members who gathered for the picture, but she was not injured in the accident.
The deck collapse victims decided to take legal action against the deck builder. They are also suing the homeowners association responsible for maintaining the deck and the clubhouse where the incident happened, called Wolf Lake Homeowners Association.
However, Schuler Homes, Inc, the construction company that built the deck, says the law exempts them from liability since the structure is more than 10 years old.
The incident was captured by security cameras, and the family released the footage to the press, hoping the images will help other people and will prevent similar incidents from happening.
Family member Jeremy Wilt, who works as a nurse, was at work when the accident occurred and joined the team of emergency responders that arrived at the scene.
“We want the public to know what to look for so something like this doesn’t happen to them,” said Jeremy, cited by the same source.
“Some people called this a freak accident. A meteorite hitting your house would be a freak accident. This was going to fall one day,” he added.
The family also created a video and posted it on YouTube to raise awareness about how people can ensure their deck is safe (you can watch it below). The clip presents some common building methods and simple upgrades that can prevent another deck collapse from occurring, while also highlighting the warning signs of a potential collapse.
The North American Deck and Railing Association says the number of old decks that pose serious risks for people has been increasing at an alarming pace lately.
