Property Manager Faces Lawsuit for Collapsed Balcony

A student who suffered a broken pelvis when a balcony collapsed on her has filed suit to recover for her injuries.

The student, Stephanie Grace, was attending a party on April 6 in the Isla Vista community of Santa Barbara when a crowded balcony collapsed on her and other party-goers standing below. She and three others suffered serious injuries from the impact. The tenants of 6643 Del Playa Drive, members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, accuse their property manager Ronald Wolfe & Associates of negligence in caring for the property, claiming that the company knew of the apartment’s rotted second-story balcony before the collapse but did nothing to remedy the problem.  However, Ron Wolfe, owner of the property management company, claims that he was never notified of the structural issues and has no record of any complaints made by the tenants of that property. In an interview last month, he also questioned why the tenants would allow so many onto the balcony if they were aware of its danger, stating that it seems “like a clear misuse of the premises.”

Grace, a Los Angeles native and a lifeguard at the University, has not been able to walk or return to work since the incident. Her attorneys are seeking “fair and reasonable compensations for her injuries,” including recovery for her medical bills. The lawsuit was filed in Santa Barbara Superior Court, and named as defendants Ronald Wolfe & Associates, as well as the building’s owner, the Elliot Family Trust.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, please contact Khorrami Boucher Sumner Sanguinetti, LLP for a private consultation.