New Orleans man sues after falling off of elevated home

NEW ORLEANS – A local couple is suing the company they hired to elevate their home after an accident on the work site.

Marsha and Charles Wright filed suit against Cajun Elevation & Shoring LLC in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Feb. 1.

The couple originally contracted the company to raise their New Orleans home. During construction it was brought up that stairs needed to be installed at the side doors of the home. The suit alleges that Cajun Elevation refused to install stairs, saying that it was not required by any code or ordinance and that stairs would not fit the available space.

On April 26 Charles Wright was attempting to secure one of the side doors when he fell from the elevated home, sustaining severe bodily injuries.

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to take reasonable care and adequate precaution to ensure safety of customers, failing to inspect for dangerous conditions such as the presence of the side door which was not secured by stairs, failing to adequately and properly construct the elevation when it knew that the unsecured side door would greatly increase risk of injury and fall to the residents, allowing the doorway to be unsecured thus to create a reasonable risk of harm when such harm was foreseeable, failing to exercise reasonable care and failing to warn the residents that a hazardous condition existed which caused this accident similar to ones that have occurred on other sites.

An unspecified amount of damages is sought for physical pain and suffering, mental pain and suffering, medical expenses including physician fees, diagnostic and physical therapy fees, loss of enjoyment of life, aggravation of any pre-existing condition, potential lost wages, loss of earning capacity and loss of consortium.

The plaintiffs are represented by Jim S. Hall of Jim S. Hall & Associates.

The case has been assigned to Division N Judge Ethel S. Julien.

Case No. 2013-01023.