A stairway or balcony that gives way can cause a fall from a serious height, and the injuries can be life-changing. California has specific inspection rules for certain apartment buildings, and those rules shape what a property owner knew and when. We explain how the rules and the filing deadline fit into a claim in San Benito County.
California Requires Inspections of Elevated Walkways
State law requires owners of covered multi-unit buildings to hire a licensed professional to inspect their exterior elevated elements. According to the City of Gilroy, where we also have an office, the exterior elevated elements inspection program under SB 721 covers apartment buildings with three or more units and wood-framed elements more than six feet above the adjacent grade. Condominium buildings fall under a companion law, SB 326. In Gilroy, owners submit the inspection report to the city’s Code Enforcement team, and a person asking about a specific building can start with the local code enforcement office.
Balconies, Stairways, and Walkways Are Covered
The covered elements include these structures:
- Balconies
- Walkways
- Decks
- Landings
- Railings
- Stairways
A railing that gives way or a landing that separates from the wall puts a resident or a visitor at risk. Each of these parts supports people every day.
The Initial Deadline Has Passed
The initial SB 721 inspection deadline was extended to January 1, 2026, and repeat inspections are required every six years for apartments. An owner who skipped the inspection, or who received a report and didn’t repair the hazard, faces questions in any later injury case. The inspection record becomes a source of evidence.
Owners Can Be Responsible for Hazards They Knew About
A property owner’s responsibility for dangerous conditions depends on what the owner knew or should have known. Our post on property owner liability explains how that question is analyzed. Maintenance records, repair requests, and prior complaints all speak to it.
The Filing Deadline Is Two Years
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1 sets a two-year period for an action for injury to, or the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another. Specific facts can affect how the period applies, so injured people should confirm the date early. The same statute covers other injury claims, so the deadline applies across the related cases below.
Our overview of California filing deadlines covers the basics. It’s a useful starting point for anyone counting days.
Evidence Disappears Quickly After a Collapse
Owners repair broken structures, and the failed pieces can be discarded. Photographs of the damage, the surrounding area, and the wood or hardware that failed help preserve the scene. Witness names and medical records belong in the file as well. Notes on who told the owner about the problem, and when, also help show what the owner knew.
Sending a preservation request before the owner repairs or discards the failed parts is work for a Hollister staircase and balcony collapses lawyer. Photos help preserve evidence.
Related Claims Can Share the Same Facts
A fall from a balcony can start with a hazard on the way there, such as a broken step or a missing handrail. When the cause is a hazard of that kind, a Hollister slip and fall lawyer looks at the conditions that led to the fall.
Building equipment is a separate category, and a Hollister elevator and escalator accidents lawyer handles failures of that kind. The legal questions overlap with a structural collapse, though the evidence differs.
A Fall Can Lead to a Head Injury
Falls from height can cause head trauma, and symptoms may show up after the fall. Documenting cognitive and physical effects falls to a Hollister brain injury lawyer who knows which records matter.
Our Firm Has Served Accident Victims Across California
Our firm, Mitchell & Danoff Personal Injury Law Firm, has served clients for more than 30 years, and Hollister is our main office. Jesse Danoff leads the firm, holds licenses in California, New York, and New Jersey, and has 14 years of experience.
Photographs and Records Are Best Gathered Early
Photographs, repair records, and medical bills all become more useful when they are gathered while the facts are fresh. A Hollister resident hurt in a collapse can reach out to us to go over what happened and which records to collect.