This Blog is posted by The Bryan Woods Law Firm - Your San Antonio Construction Litigation Attorney
Bryan Woods Law Firm
1250 N.E. Loop 410, Suite 725
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: 210-824-3278
Fax: 210-824-3937
San Antonio Construction Defects - Street Collapse
Some of the more common problems on roadways and private roads include the following:
Street Collapse
A street collapse can be the result of a builder not taking into consideration the type of soil he is building on. Soil can be either expansive or collapsing, both of which will cause movement and the potential collapse of a street. This street collapse can also be caused by a nearby hill or mountain that has a mudslide or that has eroded land under or next to the street. A builder or developer needs to properly analyze the land where a street or roadway will be built before it is built. With this assessment, a builder will know what construction strategies to implement.
Sinkholes
A sinkhole is caused by a collapse of a cavern roof. It is a natural indentation of the land surface that connects to a passage that is underground. These collapsed sinkholes can grow to be very deep and wide within hours and sometimes minutes. These are quite rare, however. Sinkholes generally occur in limestone. The damages a sinkhole can inflict on your property are serious. The problem never gets better, only worse. Some effects of sinkholes can include but are not limited to cracks in windows or doors, doors that are hard to close, deep separation of concrete walks, or sediment in your water.
Utility Failures (downed/broken lines)
Utility failures in downed or broken lines occur because of natural causes such as weather or by human negligence. When an underground line is broken it takes longer to detect and is extremely costly to repair. These utility failures with broken or downed lines can adversely affect a home or building by disrupting telecommunication services, cable services, or electrical services. As you can imagine, the damage caused by utility failures can be as simple as the loss of power for an hour causing minimal damages, to an extended loss of power causing personal injury and/or damage to personal items in the home.
Erosion
Erosion occurs when material from the Earth is transported via stream flows, coastline, or hill slope. It is a gradual wearing away of the land. Factors such as wind or water can provide the force needed to start this erosion process. Erosion can affect the shaping of land surfaces or the quantity of material built upon the land surface. Water is one of the most significant natural factors in the process of erosion. Although a certain amount of erosion is natural, erosion is sometimes increased by poor construction actions and can be decreased by using proper techniques such as tree planting.
Landslides and Falling Rocks
Landslides and falling rocks can be described as a measurable plane of land that has slipped resulting in falling rocks. It can turn into a pretty steady flow as the block of land gains momentum down the slope. Steep slopes are susceptible to landslide occurrences, but they occur in almost any environment. They can be caused by an earthquake and by construction, specifically road construction. Falling rocks will result when the landslide moves the debris or soil that covered the rock. This exposes the rock allowing it to tumble along with the landslide or on its own time, sometimes after the landslide has occurred.
Damages from street collapse, sinkholes, utility failure (downed/broken lines), erosion, or landslides, and falling rocks to roadways and private roads can be serious. Without proper expertise regarding these defects, a resolution to these issues can be time-consuming and costly. Do not try to take care of these issues on your own. Contact an attorney in our office today to help you take the proper steps.