$1.75 Million Ceiling Collapse Settlement in New York

Raphaelson & Levine secured a $1.75 million settlement for a New York tenant injured when a ceiling collapsed on her while she was showering in her apartment.

A Ceiling Collapse Inside a New York Apartment

Home is supposed to be the safest place. For our client, it became the site of a terrifying accident. She was in the shower when the ceiling above her suddenly gave way, sending debris crashing down onto her head, neck, and back. There was no warning — no visible crack, no noise before the collapse. One moment she was going about her morning routine; the next, she was buried under plaster and drywall, injured and disoriented in her own bathroom.

The impact caused cervical spine injuries, a head injury, and lumbar damage. She required emergency medical care, followed by ongoing treatment for chronic neck and back pain that persisted well beyond the initial recovery period. Simple activities — sleeping, sitting at a desk, carrying groceries — became sources of pain.

Landlord Negligence and Deferred Maintenance

Ceilings collapse for a reason. Our ceiling collapse attorneys investigated the building's history and discovered that water damage above our client's bathroom had been reported to the landlord on multiple occasions. Plumbing leaks from the unit above had been saturating the ceiling structure for an extended period, weakening it to the point of failure. The landlord received these complaints and chose to ignore them rather than pay for the repairs.

Andrew Levine directed the legal strategy, retaining a building inspector and a structural engineer who examined the collapsed ceiling and the conditions above it. Their findings confirmed extensive water damage, wood rot, and structural degradation — all of which would have been visible to any competent maintenance crew. Our premises liability lawyers used the landlord's own complaint records to prove he had actual notice of the problem and chose not to act.

Holding a Negligent Landlord Accountable

The $1.75 million settlement covers our client's medical treatment for her neck, head, and back injuries, along with lost wages, rehabilitation, and the pain and suffering she endured — and continues to manage — because her landlord refused to fix a known problem. Tenants in New York have a right to live in safe housing, and landlords who ignore structural hazards must be held responsible.

"A ceiling collapsing on someone in her own shower is not a freak accident — it's the predictable result of a landlord ignoring water damage complaints. Our client reported the problem. The landlord did nothing. And when the ceiling finally gave way, she was the one who got hurt. This settlement makes clear that neglecting tenant safety has consequences."

— Andrew Levine, Founding Partner at Raphaelson & Levine

If you've been injured by a ceiling collapse or any structural failure in a New York apartment, our premises liability attorneys have extensive experience proving landlord negligence, and are ready to review your claim. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.