Back to School Safety – College Dorm Room Injuries

As students get ready to start school at colleges and universities in Louisiana, they’ll try to fit everything they’ll need into their dorm rooms. Many rooms have loft or bunk beds to help make better use of the available space, but these beds can be dangerous in some cases. Dorm bunk-bed related injuries can be serious and lead to lasting physical problems.

In fact, a Georgia Tech student suffered a fracture at the base of his skull as well as brain bleeding when he fell off his loft bed at a fraternity house. At Mike Brandner Law, our Louisiana personal injury legal team wants the upcoming school year to be injury free. Take a look at the following dangers so that you can hopefully avoid them.

Why Bunk and Loft Beds Pose a Danger

Bunk beds and loft beds can be dangerous for the following reasons:

• Lack of railings: The loft bed that the Georgia Tech student fell from had no railings. This leaves students more vulnerable to falling if startled awake or move around in their sleep.
• Lack of a sturdy, fixed ladder or other device: Ladders should be properly attached and kept in good repair. Always use a ladder to enter and exit the beds, not a chair, desk, or other object.
• Improper bed placement: A bed that obstructs a window could lead to additional, very serious injuries if a student falls and is injured by broken glass. He or she could even fall out of a window.
• Lastly, faulty construction: Each element of the bed, including the ladder, must be properly constructed and not defective. 

Legal Responsibility For Dorm Bunk-bed Related Injuries

Suffered dorm bunk bed-related injuries? Or the parent of that student? Can you hold the college or university legally responsible for the injuries? As with many types of personal injury cases, the answer depends on the exact circumstances of the accident.

If the school failed to properly construct, maintain, and inspect the bed, they may have legal responsibility. If the school purchased the bed from a company that used defective components, liability could also lay with the company.

On the other hand, if injuries happened due to intoxication, the court may find you at fault for your own injuries.

Louisiana has a comparative fault law that allows for shared fault and financial liability. If found 25% at fault, your damages would reduce by this amount.

Contact a Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or your child has suffered injuries due to a dorm bunk-bed accident then contact Mike Brandner Law for immediate assistance. You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our team of knowledgeable and experienced attorneys understands the true value of each case and will do everything possible to make sure that you get the money that you deserve for your injuries. Furthermore, our team is committed to treating every client with the compassion and respect they deserve. You can count on us to take care of all your legal needs so that you can focus on your health and recovery. Contact us today and you’ll soon learn why Mike Brandner Law is one of the most trusted personal injury law firms in all of Louisiana.