According to the CDC, over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022; this is the highest number of suicide-related deaths in U.S. history. Without a doubt, suicide has been and continues to be a major issue in the country. Statistics show that over 800,000 people, more than 78% of them males, died by suicide between 2000 and 2020.
A recent incident in Downtown Los Angeles has left the community in shock and wondering if property owners can do more to prevent suicide and suicide-related injuries to innocent bystanders. The incident occurred at the Ace Hotel, located at 929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, shortly after 6:00pm, a man crawled through the “open squares” on the rooftop, according to witnesses, and jumped off the building. Witnesses both on the rooftop and on the ground heard a loud cracking sound that some confused for a gunshot. This was ultimately the sound of the man impacting a large fiberglass planter. According to reports, the man survived the fall and later died at the hospital.
Unfortunately, this is not the first incident nor it will be the last incident that occurs. In fact, many of the historic Downtown Los Angeles buildings have had multiple suicides at their premises, many of them suicide by jumping off the rooftop.
This brings forth a very important question: should high-rise property owners be doing more to prevent suicide by jumping off rooftops?
The truth is that there are quite a few things that property owners to prevent suicide jumpers (and obviously avoid the injury or death of the jumper) and harm to innocent bystanders that are walking on sidewalks or even just standing near the building and can be struck by the falling person. These property owners can install protective barriers, or suicide barriers, to deter people from jumping or to actually catch the jumper before they hit the floor/water. These barriers are also important in the safety of bystanders that can suffer fatal injuries if they are struck by someone who has jumped off a building.
If you or a loved one suffered harm in a suicide-related incident, you could have grounds to sue. If this incident occurred at the Ace Hotel, you could sue the hotel owner. If the incident occurred elsewhere, you could also have grounds to sue the property owner. No matter your specific situation, we urge you to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Here at the Normandie Law Firm, we are committed to helping victims and their families recover the highest settlement available for their claims.
If you are ready to speak with an Ace Hotel injury lawyer, contact us today.
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More Information on Suicide Barriers
What is a suicide barrier? How can suicide barriers prevent harm to jumpers and to innocent bystanders on the street? A suicide barrier is a structure designed to prevent people from attempting suicide at certain structures like high-rise buildings, tall bridges, elevated observation decks (like those at famous landmarks), and tall structures, in general. These barriers can consist of metal screens, fences, and nets that are difficult to climb or get through. Fences, specifically, are sometimes curved inwards at the top, making it very difficult to climb. Nets are used in cases where it is important to preserve the view; these nets extend from the structure or hang below the structure to essentially catch jumpers. Glass barriers are also an option when visual appeal or transparency is important.
Of course, these barriers reduce suicides at specific locations with a history of suicides and suicide attempts. Ultimately, those who are determined to commit suicide will simply find another way to do so. However, these barriers effectively eliminate the risk of harm to innocent bystanders nearby – as being struck by an adult falling, even from low heights (two or three floors, for example) can result in devastating injuries.
Liability for Harm Caused by a Lack of Protective Barriers on Ace Hotel Rooftop
Is Ace Hotel liable for any harm resulting from a lack of protective barriers on their rooftop? Yes – the property owners could be liable. Some may argue that these property owners cannot possibly know that people will jump from their rooftops. Yet, there are plenty of high-rise buildings in the Downtown L.A. area with a history of suicide by jumping. Because of this, property owners in the area should know of the risk.
There are precautions that can be taken to prevent these incidents. Aside from installing protective barriers, property owners can install locks, alarms, etc. that can limit access to the rooftop. The Ace Hotel and many of the other famous hotels in the area have certain amenities on the rooftops, like bars, restaurants, and even pools, for example. Because of this, the rooftop can be easily accessed by guests. In these cases, their should at least be increased security on rooftops.
The point is that, although these property owners cannot control whether a person chooses to jump off a building to commit suicide, property owners can take preventative measures to reduce the risk to jumpers and to innocent bystanders. This means that, based on the details surrounding the incident, you could certainly have grounds to file a lawsuit.
For more information about the legal options available to you, we urge you to contact us at your earliest convenience.
What is the Average Settlement for These Types of Cases?
Based on the details surrounding your claim, you could be eligible to recover compensation for the harm that you or a loved one suffered in a fall-related incident at the Ace Hotel. Some common categories of compensation available include medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, funeral and burial costs, punitive damages, and legal fees, for example.
Our law firm gets many questions surrounding to possible case values. These questions include the following:
- What is the average settlement for cases like mine?
- What is the possible value of my claim?
First and foremost, it is important to understand that every case is different, so it can be misleading to try to place a single value on these types of cases. For simplicity, let’s consider incidents resulting in injuries versus incidents resulting in death. A personal injury claim, specifically when a bystander on the ground is struck by someone who is falling off the roof, can be worth up to $2,500,000; of course, some claims can surpass this amount. This is based on the injuries suffered, the permanency of said injuries (whether injuries resulted in permanent or temporary disability), and even the victim’s wage history and earning capacity after the injury, for instance. With wrongful death claims, the same applies. Although there may not be any medical bills to consider given that the death was instant, we must consider the total costs for funeral/burial services, the total lost income (including projected income up until retirement age), the age of the victim at the time of the death, and the suffering of surviving family members (this is loss of consortium awarded to spouses/partners or the family member pursuing the claim). In general, wrongful death claims can be worth up to $5,000,000, although some claims surpass this amount.
If you have questions about the possible value of your claim, we recommend that you seek legal assistance from the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our lawyers are fully committed to getting our clients the maximum recovery available for their claims.
How Long Does the Settlement Process Usually Take?
This is also a very common question. Depending on the case, the time that it takes to reach a settlement can range anywhere from a few months to a few years – the cases that take longer are usually the ones that go to trial. Under the best of circumstances, our team can reach a settlement for these types of cases in under one year. However, every case is different, so it may not be possible to reach a quick settlement. The fact is that our team is ready to actively work on your case to ensure that you are can obtain a fair recovery within a reasonable length of time. For more information about the time that it could take to settle your claim, contact us today. Our experts will be available to evaluate the details of your claim and project how long it could possible take to reach a resolution.
How Long Do I Have to File My Lawsuit?
You might be wondering whether there is a deadline to file your lawsuit for a fall-related incident resulting in injury or death at the Ace Hotel or surrounding buildings. Yes, there is a deadline to sue, which is established by the statute of limitations. In California, all civil lawsuits – including personal injury claims and wrongful death claims under premise liability – are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. This means that claimants only have two years to file their lawsuits. It is important to note that some exceptions could apply that could ultimately toll or pause the deadline that applies.
What happens if you fail to file your claim on time? Unfortunately, if you fail to file your claim on time, then you will likely lose your right to sue entirely. This means that you will not be able to hold the negligent property owner for the harm that you or a loved one suffered. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the total length of time that you have to pursue your claim, we recommend that you contact us today. Our lawyers are ready to go above it all to fight for your rights and help you better understand the time that you have to sue.
Contact Us Today – Ace Hotel Injury Attorneys at the Normandie Law Firm
Were you or a loved one injured as a result of the negligence of Ace Hotel? Whether you or a loved one were the one who fell off the roof or was struck by someone that fell off the roof, you could have grounds to sue the owners of the Ace Hotel for failing to take the necessary measures to prevent people from falling or jumping off their rooftop. Here at the Normandie Law Firm, our team has decades of experience handling all sorts of personal injury claims and wrongful death claims. Our team is knowledgeable on your rights and is ready to go above it all to fight to get you justice – and, of course, to get you the recovery that you are owed.
We know that it can be intimidating to even think about pursuing a claim; however, we are committed to making the process as simple and as straightforward as possible for affected parties. We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our expert Ace Hotel injury lawsuit lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and ensure that you have all the information necessary to either start or continue your claim. That’s right – we can help you even if you are thinking about switching lawyers. To benefit from these free legal services, contact us here at the Normandie Law Firm today.
Our Zero-Fee Guarantee ensures that our clients will never be required to pay upfront legal costs. In addition, our law firm works on a strict contingency structure; therefore, our clients are never required to pay legal costs until their claims are successful. Even then, all legal costs are covered by the case settlement, so clients are never required to cover any cost out of their own pocket.
If you are ready to speak with our lawyers and schedule your free consultation, contact us today.
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